Hazard spot-kick sends Chelsea into final in dramatic penalty shoot-out
Eden Hazard fired Chelsea into an all-English Europa League final against Arsenal with perhaps his last-ever kick at Stamford Bridge.
The Belgian forward dispatched the decisive penalty as Chelsea edged out Eintracht Frankfurt 4-3 in a shoot-out that followed a 1-1.
Kepa Arrizabalaga produced two fine saves to spare Cesar Azpilicueta’s blushes, as the Blues captain missed his own spot-kick.
Kepa saved Martin Hinteregger’s penalty with his knees before palming away a good effort by Gonzalo Pacienca as the Blues set up a showdown with their London rivals in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 29 May.
Should Hazard’ s reported big-money transfer to Real Madrid materialise this summer, the 28-year-old will have capped his Stamford Bridge tenure in the most dramatic fashion.
Spanish stopper Kepa joined Hazard in the hero’s corner, following two fine penalty saves.
Ruben Loftus- Cheek’s fine goal had initially put Chelsea in control, only for Luka Jovic to tuck away his tenth goal of the Europa League campaign.
Hazard conjured up an impetuous assist for LoftusCheek’s tenth goal of the season, but Eintracht forced the game into extra time – with the scores 1-1 on the night, 2-2 on aggregate and level on away goals.
Frankfurt dangerman Jovic had headed straight at Kepa early on, but Chelsea dominated the opening half and fully merited Loftus- Cheek’s eye - catching goal.
The Blues were denied a penalty when Danny Da Costa barged over Loftus- Cheek after Olivier Giroud had missed Will ian’ s near-post cross.
Chelsea paid for a tentative second-half start when Jovic st rolled through a poorly aligned home defensive line to equalise and put the tie right back in the balance.
The visitors had hardly stopped appealing for a penalty handball when Jovic cantered clear, with David Luiz stranded too high out of the line and Emerson playing him on. The arch Serbian finisher made no mistake with the easy chance, leaving a stunned Chelsea back to square one.
Ever y time Chelsea wasted a half-chance or passed away possession, Frankfurt grew in stature and confidence.
S ebastien Haller bungled a gilt- edged Eintracht opp or - tunit y, mishitting his shot to allow Luiz a full-stretch clearance off the line. Zappacosta headed off the line from Haller to close the first period of extra time.
Azpilicueta thought he had won it when bundling the ball across the line, only for the goal to be chalked off for a foul on Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp.
When the game slipped into the lottery of penalties, however, Hazard saved Chelsea once again.