Essien Stunner Seals Fightback  (Sky Sports)

Valencia 1 Chelsea 2

Michael Essien's 90th minute strike saw Chelsea defeat Valencia 2-1 and claim a place in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

After Andrei Shevchenko had cancelled out Fernando Morientes's first half strike, and restored parity in the tie, extra-time appeared certain until Essien's driving run and thumping finish inside Santiago Canizares's near post claimed the 3-2 aggregate win.

The Blues' second half performance, full of purpose and ambition, was outstanding after Valencia had given ample evidence of their European pedigree in a cagey first period.

Then Valencia had called the tune, by fair means and sometimes foul initially, with Roberto Ayala's elbow on Didier Drogba and David Albelda's high boot on Michael Ballack unseemly footnotes.

The hosts' probing threat appeared to have been weathered because Chelsea's touch became more assured as the half developed, with John Obi Mikel and Essien stamping their mark on the game in midfield.

Ricardo Carvalho's header wide from Frank Lampard's corner after the quarter-hour mark was all they had had to show for their considerable efforts though.

Valencia had lain in wait and sprung their trap to devastating effect 30 minutes in.

David Villa's pace saw the hosts slip through the gears and the quickfire striker played in Morientes, who, after a neat change of feet, had Petr Cech beaten all ends up, but not the goalkeeper's right hand post.

Morientes had barely time to mull over his misfortune. Two minutes later he handed Valencia the lead from Joaquin's cross, sliding in to steer a shot home left-footed.

Morientes almost scored again. Villa's scooped cross fell invitingly to the Spaniard but Ashley Cole got across goal to block the former Liverpool striker's shot between his legs.

The visitors were reeling but another header gave them encouragement five minutes before half-time. Drogba's effort from 10 yards was saved expertly by Canizares - the Valencia man flung himself brilliantly to his left to deny the Ivorian from Cole's cross.

Jose Mourinho had disappeared to the dressing room long before the interval whistle and the Portuguese's extended thinking time saw Joe Cole introduced for Lassana Diarra and a switch from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3, with Essien dropping to right-back.

The change worked and Chelsea achieved parity in the tie once more seven minutes later.

Essien's cross caused panic in the home defence and, after a combination of Miguel and Ayala, had denied Drogba, the ball fell kindly for Shevchenko to tap home at the far post.

A subdued force in the first half, Shevchenko set his sights from a little further out in the 60th minute but his rising shot cleared the angle of post and bar.

The hosts were hemmed in and being forced to defend even more than they are usually comfortable with and, after further instigation from Joe Cole, Drogba could not find the power with his right foot to truly trouble Canizares.

A loose clearance from Asier Del Horno betrayed the hosts' anxiety in the face of Chelsea dominance, but visiting hearts were still in collective mouths as substitute Miguel Angulo's shot flashed wide of Cech's upright.

Relief turned to amazement when five minutes from time Ballack thought he had given Chelsea a second goal and surely victory only to see Canizares shovel his header over the bar.

Chelsea's drive was relentless, however, and, as the match entered two minutes of stoppage time, a buccaneering Essien swept forward and Chelsea became the first English team since Leeds in 1967 to win at the Mestalla.

Barring a remarkable turnaround in Liverpool's tie against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday, another all-English semi-final now lies in store.

Teams

Valencia Canizares, Ayala, Del Horno, Miguel, Moretti, Albelda, Albiol (Viana 72), Joaquin, Silva, Morientes (Angulo 65), Villa
Subs Not Used Insa, Butelle, Torres, Pallardo, Lopez
Booked Del Horno, Albelda, Ayala, Moretti
Goals  Morientes 32

Chelsea Cech, Carvalho, A. Cole, Terry, Ballack, Diarra (J. Cole 45), Essien, Lampard (Makelele 90), Mikel, Drogba, Shevchenko (Kalou 90)
Subs Not Used  Cudicini, Bridge, Ferreira, Wright-Phillips
Booked  Essien, Ballack
Goals  Shevchenko 52, Essien 90

Attendance 53,000