Chelsea last night banished the demons of their embarrassing defeat to West Brom at the weekend with a competent victory over Porto in the Champions League.
The 2-0-win leaves Chelsea in a great position of progressing to the semi-finals for the first time in seven years.
The Blues came into the game in full force without any injuries, while the Portuguese side was missing midfielder Oliveira and Iranian forward Taremi due to suspensions.
Both teams had landed shocks in the Round of 16 with Porto beating Ronaldo and Juventus and Chelsea humbling Spanish league leaders Athletico Madrid.
Porto began the fixture as the more threatening side with two Otávio shots coming closest to opening the scoring.
The first goal came after the half an hour mark with a Mason Mount strike. Jorginho played a simple ground pass behind the Porto midfield, with one-touch Mount spun around a poor Sanusi tackle and firing low past an unready Marchesin.
Chelsea up 1-0 at Porto after Mason Mount's baller turn 🤯
(via @UCLonCBSSports)pic.twitter.com/Hfm8TrnM0f
— Yahoo Soccer (@FCYahoo) April 7, 2021
Porto began the second half on the hunt for a goal back with pressure mounting on the Chelsea defensive line.
Werner missed the chance to grab a goal against the run of play after a Rudiger long shot was spilt by the Argentine keeper. Although the chance was missed, the London team grew in confidence again.
Porto thought they had a shout for a penalty with 20 minutes to go when Marega was felled by captain Azpilicueta but VAR and the referee deciding that the forward went down too easily.
Tempers flared as the game slowed to a stuttering pace between fouls and dives. Pulisic missed a great chance to double the lead, beating the keeper but smashing the crossbar.
The miss was soon forgotten about when Chilwell rounded the keeper to score Chelsea’s second. Corona failed to control a long ball, allowing the English fullback to burst through a tired Porto defence, deftly beating the keeper.
Ben Chilwell punishes the Porto defence!
Great composure from the Chelsea left-back as he breaks through and rounds the keeper before slotting home 🙌
A MASSIVE goal! pic.twitter.com/jjnHHwuPbl
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 7, 2021
With the help of some defensive substitutes, Chelsea held out the Porto attack to keep their two-goal lead.
Although both legs of this fixture have been moved to the Sevilla stadium in Spain, this game was considered the away leg for Chelsea and the ‘away goals’ will prove important in this tie.
Porto
Man. Sergio Conceicao Starting XI. 1.Marchesin 18.Manafa 19.Mbemba 3.Pepe (c) 12.Sanusi 25.Otávio 16.Grujic 8.Uribe 17.Corona 7.Diaz 11.Marega Subs. 50.Viera 83’, 29.Martinez 83’, 85. Conceicao 83’
Chelsea
Man. Thomas Tuchel Starting XI. 16.Mendy 2.Rudiger 4.Christensen 28.Azpilicueta (c) 21.Cilwell 17.Kovacic 5.Jorginho 24.James 11.Werner 19. Mount 29.Havertz Subs. 10.Pulisic 65’, 18.Giroud 65’ 6.Silva 80’ 7.Kante 80’
Mount 32’, Chilwell 85’
Yellow Card(s): Mbemba, Grujic
Ref. Slavko Vincic
Claire Schoenemann 
Áine Gleeson 
James Roulston Mooney