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On this day in 2009: Chelsea advance past Liverpool in Champions League thriller

Frank Lampard’s second goal of the game sealed a 7-5 aggregate win for the Blues and a semi-final date with eventual winners Barcelona.

Frank Lampard’s second goal of the game sealed Chelsea’s 7-5 aggregate win (Rebecca Naden/PA) Expand

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Frank Lampard’s second goal of the game sealed Chelsea’s 7-5 aggregate win (Rebecca Naden/PA)

Frank Lampard’s second goal of the game sealed Chelsea’s 7-5 aggregate win (Rebecca Naden/PA)

Frank Lampard’s second goal of the game sealed Chelsea’s 7-5 aggregate win (Rebecca Naden/PA)

By PA Sport Staff

Chelsea reached the Champions League semi-finals on this day in 2009 after a thrilling 4-4 draw with Liverpool secured a 7-5 aggregate win.

The teams were meeting in Europe’s elite competition for a fifth consecutive season and the Blues kicked off the quarter-final second leg at Stamford Bridge with a clear advantage following a 3-1 win at Anfield the previous week.

But Guus Hiddink’s side went 2-0 down in the return and survived a huge scare before sealing their place in the last four against eventual winners Barcelona.

Brazilian defender Alex celebrates his goal for Chelsea after levelling the score on the night (Nick Potts/PA) Expand

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Brazilian defender Alex celebrates his goal for Chelsea after levelling the score on the night (Nick Potts/PA)

Brazilian defender Alex celebrates his goal for Chelsea after levelling the score on the night (Nick Potts/PA)

Brazilian defender Alex celebrates his goal for Chelsea after levelling the score on the night (Nick Potts/PA)

Petr Cech’s positional gaffe allowed Fabio Aurelio’s free-kick to give the Reds a first-half lead and Xabi Alonso’s penalty put the visitors in control at the interval.

Another goalkeeping error, this time from Liverpool’s Jose Reina, saw Didier Drogba pull one back for Chelsea early in the second half.

The hosts then equalised on the night through Alex’s thunderous free-kick before Frank Lampard steered home Drogba’s cross and appeared to put them out of sight, 6-3 up on aggregate.

But Liverpool were not finished. They levelled through Lucas Leiva’s deflected shot and went 4-3 up on the night two minutes later through Dirk Kuyt’s near-post header.

Frank Lampard’s late goal made sure of Chelsea’s progress (Rebecca Naden/PA) Expand

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Frank Lampard’s late goal made sure of Chelsea’s progress (Rebecca Naden/PA)

Frank Lampard’s late goal made sure of Chelsea’s progress (Rebecca Naden/PA)

Frank Lampard’s late goal made sure of Chelsea’s progress (Rebecca Naden/PA)

With seven minutes remaining, the Reds needed one more goal to complete a stunning win on away goals.

But Lampard, teed up by Nicolas Anelka, scored his second of the night to make it 4-4 in the 89th minute.

Chelsea went on to lose their semi-final on away goals to Barcelona after Andres Iniesta’s stoppage-time equaliser at Stamford Bridge in the second leg and the Catalan club went on to beat Manchester United 2-0 in the final in Rome.

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