Lille v Chelsea Live Commentary & Result, 16/03/2022, UEFA Champions League

That's all from Stade Pierre-Mauroy today, so thank you for joining us and goodbye!

While Chelsea's focus will now be on Friday's last-eight draw, Lille must instead turn their attention to making a late push for a Champions League qualification spot for next season, with an important game at Nantes coming up on Saturday.

Having endured some difficulties in the first half - particularly when briefly falling behind - Chelsea offered a controlled performance after the break to secure safe passage to the Champions league quarter-finals with a regulation victory. Wins on either side of the English Channel see the champions eliminate a brave but ultimately limited Lille side, whose realistic hopes dissipated when Pulisic turned the ball home to equalise in first-half stoppage time.

90' + 5' FULL-TIME: LILLE 1-2 CHELSEA

José Fonte

Yellow Card

90' + 4' Fonte is booked for his late challenge on Lukaku just outside his own penalty area.

90' + 4' Perhaps too close to get the ball up and down in time to find the net, Alonso flips his free-kick over the crossbar.

90' + 3' In the third of four indicated stoppage-time minutes, Fonte catches Lukaku on the edge of the area; offering Chelsea a chance to cap the game off with a late goal from the resulting free-kick.

90' + 1' SHARP SAVE! Jardim is called into some rare action, as he comes out quickly to block a low shot by Alonso, after Kante played the wing-back in with a throughball.

89' With a touch of frustration, Yilmaz clips Loftus-Cheek in a midfield challenge, as Chelsea start to push forward with victory in the tie virtually signed and sealed.

87' Following a corner on the right, Xeka has another headed attempt at goal, which is well off target.

85' Lille are still applying pressure in pursuit of an equaliser on the day, but clumsy touches from both Bradaric and Ben Arfa see their latest attack founder on the edge of the Chelsea area.

H. Ziyech

K. Havertz

83' Havertz is the latest Chelsea player to be rested with the weekend in mind, and Ziyech replaces him for the final few minutes.

82' On the verge of a Champions League exit today, Lille's only previous appearance in the last 16 also ended in defeat at the hands of English opposition - versus Manchester United back in 2007.

80' Following more neat footwork by Yilmaz, a chance to attack the left byline appears for Ben Arfa, but almost as soon as it opens up, Azpilicueta chases back to hustle the ball out for a Chelsea goal-kick.

A. Gomes

J. Bamba

78' Bamba has been productive in spells today, but now makes way for Gomes.

D. Bradarić

G. Gudmundsson

77' Gudmundsson is also taken off by Gourvennec, and Bradaric will now slot in on the left.

H. Ben Arfa

J. David

77' After a relatively quiet game, David has been substituted, with veteran forward Ben Arfa coming on.

76' Perhaps an admission of defeat, LOSC will now make a triple change, it seems.

R. Loftus-Cheek

Jorginho

74' Tuchel also offers Jorginho an early finish to his shift, as Loftus-Cheek comes on in midfield.

R. Lukaku

C. Pulisic

74' Having scored in the first half, Pulisic has earned a rest; Lukaku replaces him up front.

M. Mount

Assist

71' From the left, Mount kept composed to steer a low cross towards Azpilicueta to score at the far post.

Azpilicueta

Goal

71' CHELSEA LEAD! Again the champions strike out of the blue, as Mount receives the ball in the area and crosses from the left towards the back post. Haring in from his right-wing position, Azpilicueta is the man to make decisive contact: guiding the ball home from close range to effectively end the tie. Lille 1-2 Chelsea, and it is 4-1 to the visitors on aggregate!

69' Chelsea are trying to hold onto the ball here and build up from the back, they are still in the box seat despite Lille's best efforts.

67' Lille have had 69 per cent of the possession over the opening 20 minutes of the second half, and they certainly look the side likeliest to score again. However, they must do so at least twice, and Chelsea always possess a serious threat on the break.

65' Whistling and jeering cascades down from the stands as Mendy delays before taking a goal-kick. The Chelsea goalkeeper indicates that something has been thrown onto the pitch, but the referee insists he should get on with the game in a timely manner.

63' OFF THE POST! The influential Yilmaz slings in a delicious cross from the right and picks out Xeka in the centre of the area, unmarked, and the Lille midfielder steers a header against the upright! It bounces clear to safety, but really that should have found the net and brought the hosts back into the tie.

62' The game continues to be broken up, as Chalobah takes to the turf. After a quick assessment on the touchline, the young defender then returns to the fray.

60' Following a Chelsea free-kick, the ball breaks to Rudiger on the corner of the penalty area, and the big centre-back sweeps a half-volleyed effort just off target. That was a tough chance, but a commendable attempt nonetheless.

T. Weah

Z. Çelik

58' Lille make another defensive change, as Celik is taken off for the more attacking option of Weah.

A. Onana

S. Botman

58' His match ended by injury, Botman makes way for Onana.

57' In response to Botman's injury, Lille are lining up a double change, but for now are continuing with only 10 men.

55' After a couple of further touches, Botman is clearly in too much pain to continue, so diverts the ball to the sideline and drops down to the ground. His race has been run.

53' Causing serious concern for LOSC coach Jocelyn Gourvennec, centre-back Botman pulls up with an apparent muscular injury, and the game is halted. However, the Dutch defender defies expectation and remains on the field; looking far from comfortable.

51' CLOSE! After Bamba stands an inviting ball up towards the penalty spot, Yilmaz beats Chalobah to the ball, but his header drifts narrowly wide of Mendy's left-hand post. That was just inches away!

50' The tempo has noticably dropped, with a little of Lille's first-half belief having drained away.

48' Both goals were either side's only shot on target during the first half, and Chelsea's came from a familiar source in the Champions League knockout rounds. Pulisic has now scored four of his seven goals in the competition from the last-16 onwards

M. Mount

M. Kovačić

46' Tuchel has opted to shuffle his pack during the interval, and Kovacic has been replaced by Mount for the second 45.

46' We are back under way in Lille, and the away side have made a change in midfield.

Having had their ambitions of an historic comeback quelled by their last-minute lapse, can Lille really recover and reproduce their first half display? The hosts are certainly up against it now, needing another two goals to push the game into extra-time.

Though Lille forced the issue early on, before Chelsea grew into the game as the first half progressed, both goals have inevitably dictated the overall mood inside Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Following Lille's opener from the penalty spot, anything seemed possible for the buoyant home side, but a clinical piece of high-class attacking play stunned the home crowd with almost the final move of the half; leaving the defending champions as hot favourites to progress.

45' + 3' HALF-TIME: LILLE 1-1 CHELSEA

Jorginho

Assist

45' + 3' Using his characteristic blend of vision and precision, Jorginho slots through a perfect pass to split the Lille defence and tee up Pulisic to strike.

C. Pulisic

Goal

45' + 3' CHELSEA EQUALISE! After a deliberate Chelsea build-up, Jorginho finds a yard of space around 20 yards from goal and prods through a beautifully weighted pass to pick out Pulisic in the box. The American winger stays cool to cut inside and steer the ball home at the far post; leaving Jardim with no chance. Lille 1-1 Chelsea, and the visitors are now 3-1 ahead on aggregate!

45' There have been three minutes of stoppage time indicated, and in the first, Chelsea are playing keep-ball inside their own half - no doubt hoping to avoid conceding again before half-time. Yilmaz's penalty has entirely changed the complexion of this tie.

43' From a free-kick on the brink of the box, on the right-hand side, Alonso whips his effort straight into the Lille wall. It bounces behind for a corner, but Chelsea's attack ultimately peters out.

G. Gudmundsson

Yellow Card

42' For a clear shirt-pull on Havertz out on the left flank, Gudmundsson is the first Lille player to receive a yellow card.

40' LOSC's top scorer in the Champions league this term, with three goals, opening goalscorer Yilmaz has attempted three shots in this game so far - more than any other player on the pitch.

B. Yılmaz

Penalty Goal

38' LILLE LEAD! With supreme confidence, Yilmaz steps up to the penalty spot and firmly plants the ball into the top-right corner, leaving Mendy without a hope of saving it. Lille have reduced their aggregate deficit to one goal: just 2-1 to Chelsea overall, and the home crowd are going wild!

37' PENALTY! Without much delay, the referee has agreed with his VAR colleagues, and Lille will have a spot-kick!

36' PENALTY TO LILLE? As Xeka chests the ball towards Jorginho inside the area, it strikes the Chelsea midfielder's arm at close range, and the VAR encourages the on-field referee to check the pitchside monitor. Could Lille be handed a lifeline here?

T. Chalobah

Yellow Card

34' No sooner has he sprung from the bench, Chalobah goes into the referee's notebook for fouling David just outside the left side of the area.

T. Chalobah

A. Christensen

33' Christensen's game comes to an early end, and his injury-induced substitution sees Chalobah come on in his place.

30' Christensen is down injured again, and despite some attention from the medical staff, it looks as though he will not be fit to continue in the Chelsea back three.

28' Chelsea's only previous visit to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy was for a 2019-20 group-stage encounter, which ended in a 2-1 triumph for the West London side, and they had won all three previous meetings with Lille before today's game.

26' Play is broken up by a series of free-kicks, with both Andre and Bamba being penalised for midfield challenges. That will suit Chelsea perfectly well.

24' A ball from Pulisic just fails to find Havertz arriving in the penalty area, and Chelsea have certainly weathered that early storm now. It is a more even contest in terms of territory.

22' After an aerial challenge with Yilmaz, an awkward fall sees Christensen stay down on the turf, and the game is paused.

19' Kante concedes a free-kick for a foul on Xeka in midfield.

18' Though Lille have most of the running so far, Chelsea have had 65 per cent of the possession to this stage - not much of it in the opposition half, though.

16' Finally, the pace of the home side's relentless attacking has started to dip, and perhaps Chelsea have drawn the sting from their opponents by holding firm during that opening spell.

14' After Bamba chips a cross in from the right towards the edge of the area, Gudmundsson's volleyed attempt is well blocked by Azpilicueta at close range, as Chelsea's yellow shirts continue to sit deep inside their own half.

12' Even a one-goal defeat today would send Chelsea through to Friday's quarter-final draw, and they have kept more clean sheets (14) in the Champions League than any other side since the start of the 2020-21 season.

10' After a protracted build-up to the set-piece, Yilmaz thumps his free-kick comfortably over Mendy's crossbar. That was hardly worth the wait.

8' Lille continue to press on in search of an early goal, and David earns a free-kick from Christensen in a central area, just over 20 yards out.

6' With Jorginho dwelling on the ball, Andre steals the ball inside the Chelsea half and feeds Yilmaz to strike from 20 yards. His goalbound effort is deflected behind by Silva, though, and Chelsea escape.

4' Needing to score at least twice today to force extra-time, Lille have scored twice or more in just three of their 11 competitive games since the turn of the year. With a lead to protect, Chelsea are set up in a tight 3-5-2 formation, so the French champions are certainly up against the odds to do so.

3' A bright start for the hosts sees Gudmundsson make progress down the left wing, and his cross is blocked behind for a corner. However, Havertz then heads it the cross clear at the near post.

1' We are under way at an atmospheric Stade Pierre-Mauroy!

Having observed the iconic Champions League anthem, we are only moments from kick-off in Northern France!

Chelsea make five changes from the side that won at the weekend, but just one from the first leg three weeks ago. Jorginho starts in midfield, with Ziyech dropping to the bench. On either flank, Azpilicueta and Alonso come back into the starting XI following illness.

LOSC make two changes from the first leg, as star man Renato Sanches is out with a muscular injury, and the Portugal international is replaced by Gudmundsson. Meanwhile, Yilmaz starts instead of Onana, joining 17-goal top scorer David up front.

SUBS: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Marcus Bettinelli, Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Trevoh Chalobah, Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech, Kenedy, Malang Sarr, Harvey Vale.

CHELSEA (3-5-2): Eduoard Mendy; Andreas Christensen, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger; Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, N'Golo Kante, Marcos Alonso; Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic.

SUBS: Ivo Grbic, Hatem Ben Arfa, Isaac Lihadji, Angel Gomes, Timothy Weah, Edon Zhegrova, Amadou Onana, Domagoj Bradaric, Jules Raux.

LILLE (3-1-4-2): Leo Jardim; Sven Botman, Jose Fonte, Tiago Djalo; Xeka; Zeki Celik, Jonathan Bamba, Benjamin Andre, Gabriel Gudmundsson; Burak Yilmaz, Jonathan David.

Though their defence of the Ligue 1 title foundered in the early part of this season, Lille have posted five clean sheets on the spin in domestic competition following a goalless draw with Saint-Etienne last weekend. Les Dogues sit sixth in the French top flight, and despite their difficulties this term, have lost just one of their last 17 outings at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Now, they attempt to further embellish that record, in the process of turning this last-16 tie around and making the Champions League quarter-finals for the very first time

Amid uncertain times at the club, Chelsea continue the defence of their European crown having established a 2-0 first-leg lead at Stamford Bridge last month - putting them within 90 minutes of the quarter-finals. Last year's final hero Kai Havertz opened the scoring during the early stages in London, with Christian Pulisic later increasing the Blues' advantage by slotting home a second just after the hour mark. In the intervening period, Thomas Tuchel's side were knocked out of the EFL Cup in dramatic circumstances, but have won three consecutive Premier League fixtures and also progressed in the FA Cup.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Champions League last-16 second leg clash between Chelsea and Lille, at Stade Pierre-Mauroy!

Lille v Chelsea Live Commentary, 17/03/2022

Key Events

Match Stats

Commentary