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Chelsea's UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie with Valencia remains firmly in the balance after a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Valencia took the lead into half-time after David Silva's wonder goal on 30 minutes, but Didier Drogba headed the equaliser after the break from Ashley Cole's long ball forward.

Jose Mourinho's men will now need at least one goal in the second leg in Spain next week if they are to advance to meet the winners of Liverpool's tie with PSV Eindhoven in the semi-finals.

Both sides had early sightings of goal with David Villa sending a shot sailing way wide, while a clever burst forward from Cole almost produced a chance for Drogba, but the left-back's cross was just out of the Ivorian's reach.

Salomon Kalou was inches from opening the scoring on ten minutes when his turn-and-shot from the edge of the area rattled the Valencia crossbar.

Andrei Shevchenko was clattered off the ball in the build up to the chance and Chelsea may have had strong claims for a penalty.

Villa was looking lively in the early stages and some neat interplay just outside Chelsea's box led to the Spanish international striker firing off target.

Silva should have scored mid-way through the half when he stuck out a leg to divert Joaquin's mis-hit shot back towards goal, but thankfully for Petr Cech the ball rolled wide of the Czech international's right-hand post.

Moments later former Chelsea defender Asier Del Horno had to be kept out by a diving Cech after some tidy close control on the edge of the area allowed him to direct an effort towards the top corner.

Following an excellent build-up, Frank Lampard's left-footed effort was wayward before the majority of the Stamford Bridge crowd was stunned into silence by a moment of magic from Silva.

The Valencia forward picked up a loose ball on the left-hand side and unleashed an unstoppable drive from fully 30 yards which left Cech with no chance of making the save.

Chelsea looked for a quick response and Drogba's free-kick from distance was on target, but straight at Santiago Canizares in the Valencia goal.

Lampard and Michael Ballack both headed wide before half-time, and just following the restart the German international's ball to the back post found Kalou, but the young striker failed to make the desired contact with the ball.

Drogba dragged Chelsea level on 53 minutes as he took advantage of some static Valencia defending to latch onto Cole's long ball up field and head over Canizares for his 30th goal of the season.

Another Lampard long-ranger went wide on the hour as Chelsea began to control the game, with Valencia happy to sit back and let The Blues attack.

Jose Mourinho introduced two new attacking threats on 74 minutes, with Joe Cole returning to action after four months out and Shaun Wright-Phillips also brought on.

Ricardo Carvalho climbed highest at the back post to meet Lampard's free-kick, but could not direct his header downwards, and with less than 10 minutes remaining John Terry felt he should have been awarded a penalty under heavy contact from Raul Albiol in the box.

Valencia substitute Miguel Angulo shot over from 25 yards, while at the other end Canizares had to be bailed out by his defence just before the end after flapping unsuccessfully at a corner.

Carvalho's side-footed effort was cleared away but only as far as Shevchenko, whose brilliantly executed bicycle kick was heading in until the ball deflected off Miguel's outstretched leg and over the top for a corner.

The 1-1 draw means Chelsea must score at least once in Spain next week to have any chance of advancing to the Champions League semi-finals.

Teams

Chelsea Cech, Carvalho, A. Cole, Terry, Ballack, Diarra, Lampard, Mikel (J. Cole 74), Drogba, Kalou (Wright-Phillips 75), Shevchenko
Subs Not Used  Cudicini, Boulahrouz, Bridge, Ferreira, Makelele
Booked  Drogba, Diarra
Goals  Drogba 53

Valencia Canizares, Ayala, Del Horno, Miguel, Moretti, Albelda, Albiol, Joaquin (Viana 87), Silva, Vicente (Angulo 58), Villa Lopez 90)
Subs Not Used Insa, Butelle, Torres, Pallardo
Booked Silva, Albelda, Ayala
Goals  Silva 30

Attendance 38,065

Referee  F. De Bleeckere (Belgium)