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Tammy Abraham tapped home a fine team goal as Chelsea saw off Lille 2-1 at Stamford Bridge to reach the Champions League\u2019s last 16.<\/p>\nTammy Abraham tapped home a fine team goal as Chelsea saw off Lille 2-1 at Stamford Bridge to reach the Champions League\u2019s last 16.<\/p>\n
England hitman Abraham notched his 13th Chelsea goal in all competitions this term, with Cesar Azpilicueta heading in from Emerson\u2019s corner.<\/p>\n
Former Blues striker Loic Remy blasted in an impressive late strike but Chelsea rebuffed the Lille comeback to seal their place in the knockout stages.<\/p>\n
Abraham applied the finishing touch to a crisp five-man move to light up a dank west London night, as Chelsea responded admirably to Frank Lampard\u2019s pre-match challenge.<\/p>\n
Frustrated boss Lampard had called on his faltering young stars to show tougher \u201cpersonality\u201d in the wake of Saturday\u2019s 3-1 Premier League loss at Everton.<\/p>\n
Chelsea entered Tuesday\u2019s Lille clash with just one win in five matches, with Lampard facing the first tangible test of his Stamford Bridge managerial reign.<\/p>\n
The Blues\u2019 former England midfielder had pulled no punches in demanding more character from his developing squad.<\/p>\n
And in free-scoring striker Abraham Lampard has just the type of personality player around whom he can build the Blues\u2019 future.<\/p>\n
Abraham himself appears quite happy to shoulder the burden of leading Chelsea\u2019s charge under Lampard, openly embracing the number nine shirt at the age of 22.<\/p>\n
Lampard will hope bigger and better European nights await his youthful charges, but considering Chelsea lost their opening Group H clash at home to Valencia he will be delighted just to make the knockout phase this term at all.<\/p>\n
Chelsea eased into rhythm from the off, Christian Pulisic, Emerson and N\u2019Golo Kante all going close before the hosts broke the deadlock.<\/p>\n
The move of the match yielded the opener, as Chelsea turned a set move into an eye-catching team goal.<\/p>\n
Lille defender Jeremy Pied insisted the visitors were not in London for a glorified training session, having been unable to qualify for the next phase of either the Champions or Europe League.<\/p>\n
So instead it was the Blues who turned Stamford Bridge into the training paddock, with Abraham tapping home to cap an inch-perfect move.<\/p>\n
Mateo Kovacic dropped into the left back slot to angle a lofted ball to Kante, who had tiptoed up to the center forward berth.<\/p>\n
The Frenchman chested down straight into the path of the onrushing Pulisic, who drove infield from the left and fed Willian cutting in from the right.<\/p>\n
The Brazil forward checked down the line, cut back a low ball to the near post \u2013 and Abraham did the rest with a smart finish.<\/p>\n
The five-man move smacked of a plan often rehearsed in preparation but rarely executed so crisply in battle.<\/p>\n
When captain Azpilicueta headed in Emerson\u2019s corner just past the half hour, Chelsea were in total control and already eyeing the knockout stages.<\/p>\n
The Blues bossed the second-half\u2019s opening exchanges with no joy, and were left with a nervy end to the night when Remy lashed home late on.<\/p>\n
The former Blues striker thumped home a fine finish to put Chelsea\u2019s progression in jeopardy, and then even fluffed a great chance to dump the hosts out of the competition.<\/p>\n
Chelsea held out though, for a morale-boosting and ultimately deserved win.<\/p>\n