Chelsea ease into Champions League semis after Ajax draw

Chelsea eased into the Champions League semi-finals despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Ajax at Stamford Bridge - with a possible reunion against Barcelona awaiting them in the next round.

Emma Hayes' Blues held a three-goal lead from the first leg in Amsterdam and a much-changed side made that four before half-time in front of over 11,000 fans in west London - with Mayra Ramirez opening the scoring on her Champions League debut for the club.

Chelsea faced a few first-half scares before Ramirez's opener and were eventually pegged back when Chasity Grant finished below goalkeeper Zecira Musovic. The draw means the Blues are denied the chance to equal their best-ever European run of consecutive wins.

But, more importantly, they move into the last four of the Champions League, where Brann or Barcelona - who knocked Hayes' Blues out of this competition last season in the semi-finals - await the Women's Super League leaders. The semi-finals are scheduled for the weekends of April 20/21 and April 27/28.