Chelsea 2 Paris St-Germain 0 (Aggregate: 3-3 – Chelsea win on away goals)

The touchline sprint, so typically Jose Mourinho. On an evening of high drama, Chelsea’s charismatic leader, so often the man for the big occasion, led his players beyond Paris St-Germain and into the semi-finals of the Champions League.

The French giants looked like they had done enough on the night and really they should have done so. But Mourinho’s men summoned up the courage to overcome these tough opponents. It was hard luck on the visitors, who played well over the two matches.

Demba Ba scored the crucial goal three minutes before the end of the tie to put Chelsea further ahead on the night. Andre Schurrle, a first-half substitute, had given his side hope with a strike after coming on for the injured Eden Hazard. Chelsea progressed on away goals.

The second goal resulted in euphoric scenes at Stamford Bridge and saw Mourinho burst down the touch-line, bringing back memories of the iconic moment he first came to our attention as Porto boss in 2004 after his side had dumped Manchester United out at Old Trafford.

The Portguese manager protested his innocence. “(It was) not to celebrate,” he said. “But to tell Fernando [Torres] and Demba the changes we had to do. Because there was still three minutes plus extra-time and playing the way we were playing was too risky.” No one believed him.

A semi-final showdown – played over the course of two legs – does mean a welcome distraction for title seeking Chelsea who continue a three-way tussle with Liverpool and Manchester City for the league championship.

Chelsea go into Friday’s semi-final draw and for the west London side, they have been at this stage now for seven of the last 11 seasons.

The Chelsea boss added: “The team that decide to defend was punished and the team that gave everything with their hearts deserve to go to the semis.”

A big performance was needed from Mourinho’s men. They had been overpowered by their opponents in the first leg, returning from the French capital having fallen hard to the side coached by Laurent Blanc.

Paris St-Germain, missing the influential Zlatan Ibrahimovic through injury, began the match well. And despite not threatening goalkeeper Petr Cech, they were the better side for much of the first half.

Chelsea were dealt an early blow when Hazard was forced off the pitch with a calf injury. It threatens to keep the Belgian player out for two weeks.

The Chelsea opening goal came on 32 minutes and very much against the run of play.

Full-back Branislav Ivanovic’s long throw-in found the unmarked David Luiz, who nodded the ball on for substitute Schurrle. The German midfielder reacted well, stroking home a half volley past goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu from eight yards.

The Stamford Bridge crowd suddenly found their voices. “Champions of Europe, we’ve done in before,” they chanted. Now they believed.

However, memories of that comeback against Napoli in February 2012 – they came into that match too having lost the first leg 3-1 – served only as a reminder how slender the margin between success and failure can be.

It took an extra time goal from Ivanovic that evening to seal that victory. One sensed even that early on in the match that this tale too could have a similar twist.

Chelsea began the second half superbly, clearly buoyed by their manager’s half-time instructions. Early on, they had hit the crossbar on two occasions within a minute of one another, through the impressive Schurrle and Brazilian playmaker Oscar.

As the game wore on, their opponents continued to hold firm. On 65 minutes, Mourinho had seen enough and made the decision to change things amongst his forward line. Ba, regarded as the club’s third choice striker, joined Eto’o as Lampard was replaced. Fernando Torres, under-fire for his recent performances, remained on the bench.

On 81 minutes Torres did get his chance, being added in attack as Chelsea pushed for the breakthrough.

However, it was Ba who found the decisive goal, turning the ball in from close range. Sirigu stood no chance.

Chelsea, second in the Premier League, travel to Swansea City on Sunday in a bid to keep the pressure on table topping Liverpool.

Amar Azam