UEFA Europa League
Result: Chelsea 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (2-2 on aggregate)
Date: 09 May 2019
Venue: Stamford Bridge
There will be another all English final in Europe this season after Chelsea defeated Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties to advance to the UEFA Europa League final.
The Blues came into the encounter with a slight advantage following a 1-1 draw in Germany last Thursday.
Maurizio Sarri decided to start Eden Hazard alongside Olivier Giroud and Willian although N'Golo Kante missed out through injury.
It was Frankfurt who made the lively start as Luka Jovic did well to pick out Da Costa, whose first-time effort forced Kepa Arrizabalaga into a superb save after 15 minutes.
The inclusion of Hazard, who started the first leg on the bench, certainly paid dividends as the Belgian teed up Ruben Loftus-Cheek for the curling finish to put the hosts ahead on the night on 29 minutes.
After a relatively quiet first half, the Bundesliga outfit silence the home fans four minutes after the break when Jovic sent a fine finish past Arrizabalaga for his 10th goal of the campaign, level with Giroud.
With Chelsea struggling to break down the Frankfurt defence, Sarri threw on Pedro for Willian in the 63rd minute.
Davide Zappacosta was introduced for the hosts with 14 minutes remaining and he nearly made the perfect impact as his effort from distance was kept out by Kevin Trapp.
Despite both sides pushing for a second goal in the latter stages, neither were successful which forced the game into extra-time.
The Blues dominated extra-time, and they thought they had the second goal after 116 minutes but Azpilicueta's strike ruled for a foul on the Frankfurt shot-stopper.
The game eventually went to a penalty shoot-out, where Chelsea held their nerve to triumph 4-3 in the shoot-out and will now face London rivals Arsenal in the final.
