Champions League: Chelsea progress to knockout stage despite Basel loss

Chelsea are through to the UEFA Champions League knockout stages despite a 1-0 loss to Basel.

Jose Mourinho’s men failed to have a single shot on target in the 90 minutes as Basel completed a shock double over the 2012 champions.

The winner came with just three minutes left as Mohamed Salah broke clear and slotted home past Petr Cech. 

With Schalke drawing 0-0 at Steaua Bucharest, Chelsea are through despite their defeat, while Basel have moved into second and a draw with the Germans in their final match will see them through.

Chelsea might have gone in front after 15 minutes but a Branislav Ivanovic cross was just out of Samuel Eto’o’s reach.

Fernando Torres, fit again after missing three games with an adductor injury, replaced Eto’o after 42 minutes when the Cameroon striker was taken off on a stretcher after falling awkwardly and Eden Hazard followed him into the fray 10 minutes into the second half.

Torres and Hazard combined but the latter’s heavy pass to Ramires halted a promising move.

Serey Die was booked for a foul on Hazard, presenting Chelsea with a free-kick from a promising position, but Lampard’s shot was poor and Ivanovic cleared.

The Blues were more robust in the second half, but even when Yann Sommer’s poor clearance presented Hazard with the ball the visitors contrived to fluff the attack.

With the game becoming more stretched as the match entered the final 10 minutes, Die fired wide at the end of a Basel counter attack and then Fabian Schar’s long-range effort was held by Cech.

Kevin De Bruyne was introduced for Willian with four minutes to go but from the restart, Basel broke and scored.

Salah got in behind the Chelsea defence to meet Schar’s brilliant long-range pass and drove down the right before lofting a neat finish into the net.