UEFA Women’s Champions League nights under the lights return to England’s capital, as Chelsea gear up to host Ajax in the reverse fixture of the quarter final scrap at Stamford Bridge. The Blues reigned victorious in Amsterdam the week prior, as another stellar display from Sjoeke Nüsken saw Chelsea fly home to London with a 3-0 advantage on aggregate.

Emma Hayes’s Blues face a dense schedule this week, as her side gear up for a three-game game week across three competitions. Hayes opts for a rotated squad to face the Dutch side, using seven changes and searching to capitalise on the momentum gained during the reverse fixture. Perhaps the most notable of the cluster of alterations came in the form of Mayra Ramirez’s addition, as the Colombian striker makes her return to the starting eleven after a few weeks on the sidelines.

CHE: Musovic; Lawrence, Carter, Buchanan, Périsset, Ingle, Cuthbert, Kirby, Beever-Jones, Reiten, Ramirez

AJA: van Eijk; van de Velde, Leuchter, Spitse, Noordam, Grant, Hoekstra, Gool, de Klonia, de Sanders, Kardinaal

It would be the visitors who were given the chance to strike first, as Tiny Hoekstra and Rosa van Gool combined on a cleverly worked short-corner to send the ball flying into the danger zone. It was the Ajax captain who made first attempt, though Sherida Spitse’s header would float narrowly over the crossbar.

Chelsea looked likely to break the deadlock, as Erin Cuthbert sent a clever chip over the Ajax last line. Though Regina van Eijk read the play to perfection, as she met the ball before Fran Kirby could gain possession on the advance.

Aggie Beever-Jones did excellently to claim the wide territory with clever footwork, though despite Cuthbert’s well-timed run toward the near post, the Scottish midfielder flew her attempt just wide of the intended target.

Much like the story of the first-leg, the visitors fell just narrowly short inside of the box when given a golden opportunity. Romeé Leuchter did brilliantly to turn Kadeisha Buchanan off her mark, before sliding a strike just wide of the goalposts.

Ajax looked threatening once again, as a blunder at the back saw Zecira Musovic’s poor clearance fly straight into Hoekstra on the advance. The Swedish goalkeeper breathed a sigh of relief as the deflection rolled just wide of the left goalpost.

Beever-Jones displayed her technical prowess once more, as she cleverly weaved herself through the Ajax last line. Placing a clever search towards Guro Reiten, the Norwegian forward flew her shot just wide of the target.

Mayra Ramirez got herself involved as she gained possession in the central area, storming forward with conviction. The striker sent a line-breaking ball through to an advancing Beever-Jones, though the English forward got caught in two minds as the ball rolled clumsily out of her possession.

The deadlock would be broken in the 32nd minute of play, as Cuthbert won back possession with an excellent challenge in the centre of the park. Reiten picked up the scraps, before cleverly finding Ramirez on the advance. The Colombian striker made no mistake in finding the back of the net, as the broken stalemate saw the Blues head 4-0 up on aggregate.

Beever-Jones continued to display her dominance, as she once again controlled possession to evade her marker down the right side. Sending a splitting ball into the six-yard area, her cross was denied the glory as Ramirez’s touch-on flew wide of the intended target.

The Blues lead 1-0 on the night as the half time whistle blew, as Ajax peered solemnly at the ominous challenge set out ahead of them for the second half of play.

The second half was underway at Stamford Bridge, as Ajax searched desperately to chip away at the piling deficit growing in West London.

The visitors looked to get one back in the opening minutes of the second half, as Chasity Grant played the ball back to Leuchter inside of the area. Causing no issues for Musovic did the Ajax number seven, as the Swedish goalkeeper collected possession with little pressure.

The dutch side managed to draw level on the night, as Nadine Noordam found herself with time on the ball, as the Ajax number ten timed her well-weighted pass beautifully to split the Chelsea last line. Grant found herself in a one-on-one showdown with the Musovic, making no mistake in finding her side’s first of the quarter-final stages.

Looking dangerous of the bench was Catarina Macario, as Sophie Ingle located the American striker with a brilliant searching lob. The American looked lively in possession, though failed to jump the last hurdle as Milicia Keijzer cleared away the danger with a booming strike.

Musovic was seen at her best as Leuchter trusted her strike inside of the area, before the Swedish goalkeeper made a brilliant stretching effort to palm away the danger.

Another stellar display of goalkeeping ensued, as Danique Tolhoek took her chances from distance. As her strike looked en route to clean the cobwebs in the top-left corner, another brilliant save from Musovic saw her stretch to deny Ajax their second of the evening.

All concluded on level terms as the final whistle blew in West London, though a stellar away effort in Amsterdam provides the difference as Emma Hayes’s Chelsea side book themselves a spot in the UEFA Women’s Champions League semi finals. The Blues will face the winner of tomorrow night’s second leg meeting between Barcelona and SK Brann, as the European giants lead 2-1 heading in to the clash at Estadi Johan Cruyff.

The Halfway Line Player of the Match: Erin Cuthbert