Sports

Chelsea dispatch Lille; Villarreal eliminate Juventus

Sports Desk, Mar 16 (EFE).- Chelsea snuffed out an attempted comeback by Lille to win Wednesday’s Champions League round of 16 second leg 2-1 and prevail 4-1 on aggregate, while Villarreal bested Juventus 3-0 to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2008-2009.

Up 2-0 after the first leg in London, the Champions League holders conceded in the 38th minute, as Burak Yilmaz converted from the spot after Jorginho was cited for a hand ball in the box.

But the hopes of the supporters at Lille’s Stade Pierre Mauroy were dashed in first half stoppage time when Christian Pulisic brought the Blues level on the night with an assist from Jorginho.

Yilmaz narrowly missed early in the first half and Lille’s Xeka hit the post before Cesar Azpilicueta scored in the 71st minute to seal the victory for the Premier League side.

In Turin, the hosts started brightly in pursuit of a goal to break the 1-1 deadlock from the first leg in Spain. Alvaro Morata forced a stop from Villarreal keeper Gero Rulli in the 11th minute and Dusan Vlahovic hit the cross-bar 10 minutes later.

Rulli dealt comfortably with subsequent efforts from Vlahovic and Marc Rabiot and the game turned for the visitors in the 75th minute, when Francis Coquelin went down in the box after contact with Juve’s Daniele Rugani.

VAR urged the referee to look at the monitor and the verdict was penalty to Villarreal. Gerard Moreno converted to give the reigning Europa League champions a 2-1 edge on aggregate.

Pau Torres scored off a corner in the 85th minute to make it 3-1 and Arnaut Danjuma added a penalty in stoppage time for a 4-1 triumph in the tie. EFE lmpg-tfc/dr

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