Story highlights
- Chelsea beat FC Basel 2-1 in their Europa League semifinal first leg match
- Fabian Schar penalty for home side cancels out Victor Moses opener for Chelsea
- David Luiz scores winner in injury time for last season's Champions League winners
- Fenerbahce beat Benfica 1-0 in first leg of other semifinal in Turkey
Chelsea stayed on course to add the Europa League to their Champions League triumph of last season with a dramatic 2-1 win over FC Basel in their semifinal first leg match in Switzerland Thursday.
Chelsea put on a display in Basel's St. Jakob stadium which had echoes of their commanding performances in Europe's premier club competition 12 months ago and grabbed a last gasp victory thanks to an injury time goal from David Luiz.
The English Premier League side had led after an early goal from Nigerian international Victor Moses, but the home side drew level with a late Fabian Schar penalty.
The equalizer sparked a late Chelsea charge and Brazilian star Luiz found the net from a free kick, his low shot eluding Yann Sommer in the home goal.
"It's difficult to win here and to score the second goal with the last kick of the match was amazing for us," a delighted Luiz told ITV Sport after his dramatic late intervention.
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In the other semifinal, Turkey's Fenerbahce will take a 1-0 lead to Portugal for the second leg after beating Benfica.
Fenerbahce dominated the match and Christian saw his penalty in the first half strike the base of the post.
They also hit the woodwork with two other efforts until Egeman Korkmaz made the breakthrough in the 72nd minute with a strong header from a corner.
Benfica's best effort saw Nicolas Gaitan strike the post with a curling shot and they will be looking to retrieve the narrow deficit in their home tie in Lisbon.
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Basel had reached the last four by beating another English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur on penalties, but watched by tennis maestro and football fan Roger Federer they found Chelsea a tougher proposition.
Moses headed the visitors in front in the 12th minute from a Frank Lampard corner and they might have added to their advantage before the halftime interval.
Basel improved after the break and Valentin Stocker hit the post with a shot with Petr Cech beaten.
At the other end Fernando Torres also struck the woodwork after a cut back by Eden Hazard.
But late on Cesar Azpilicueta's seeemingly innocuous challenge on Stocker saw the home side awarded a surprise penalty.
Schar kept his nerve to beat Cech but Chelsea responded with a series of telling attacks and John Terry was left shaking his head as Sommer saved his point blank headed effort.
But Rafa Benitez's men reserved the best to last as Stocker fouled Ramirez 25 meters out and Luiz performed his late heroics.
It left Chelsea in an excellent position to finally capture a trophy under the interim reign of Benitez, having exited after the group stages of their defense of the Champions League.
