Luiz Fires Chelsea To Europa Cup Final

Chelsea on Thursday stormed into another European final as they beat the Swiss champions of Basle 3-1 after going behind to a goal by Mohamed Salah at the end of first half.
The Blues came out with renewed intensity and scored three goals in nine minutes to secure a place in the Europa League final in Amsterdam on May 15.
Fernando Torres pounced for the first, Victor Moses made the tie safer and David Luiz scored a brilliant third with a curling left foot shot, teed up by Frank Lampard.
Jose Mourinho’s name rang around Stamford Bridge but here was a rare night of satisfaction for Rafa Benitez.
‘We’re just not that interim’ a banner once said at the Bridge, but he will take them to a final after losing in the semis of the Capital One Cup and the FA Cup.
This was game 64 of the season for Chelsea and Benitez stuck with roughly the team which had performed so well in the first leg.
Benitez felt comfortable enough with his two away goals to put Juan Mata on the bench which meant more time for Eden Hazard in his preferred No 10 role. And there was a third successive game in midfield for Luiz alongside Lampard.
An early goal was vital, according to Basle manager Murat Yakin and they almost delivered it within a minute when Marco Streller drifted into space vacated by Cesar Azpilicueta but snatched at the chance and dragged the ball wide form the edge of the penalty area.
Benitez had warned against complacency on the eve of the game and here was another warning from the Swiss champions, who were spirited and fluent in attack.
Fernando Torres clipped a pass into the path of Lampard as he ran from midfield and the England man guided a volley beyond goalkeeper Yann Sommer with his right foot. It was well-controlled and the Bridge froze, thinking this could be the record-equalling 202nd goal of his Chelsea career. Alas, the ball struck the foot of the far post and bounced to safety.
Torres made a lively start. His mobility was good, peeling away from the centre-halves and inviting the midfield runners to pierce the back four. He also forced Sommer into a sprawling save after he cut in from the left, linked up with Hazard and drove a shot low with his right foot.
As it was, Ramires wasted the best chance of the first half, served up neatly by Moses after another terrific dribble and back-heel by Hazard, who is finishing his first campaign in England in wonderful form. It whets the appetite for next season.
Central defender Fabian Schar then found space between Chelsea’s central defenders to forge forward but hooked his effort wide from 20 yards.
The goal was coming and Benitez must have been willing his side to hold out until the interval. They had almost clung on when Salah struck in stoppage time. Stocker, darting inside from the left, pulled defenders out of position, picked up the ball and threaded a pass through to Salah, who supplied a composed left-foot finish to curl it inside the post.
In the semi-final of the Champions League last year, Chelsea were holding on against Lionel Messi and Barcelona.