LONDON: Chelsea are within one match of making history as the first club to win four different current European tournaments.
The former winners of Champions League, Europa League and UEFA Super Cup cruised into the Conference League final with a 1-0 second-leg win over Swedish side Djurgarden for a 5-1 aggregate victory.
In the final in Wroclaw on May 28 they will face first-time finalists Betis from Seville who edged Italy’s Fiorentina in the other semi-final.
Chelsea’s 38th-minute goal came from one of the more senior players on the pitch, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 26, on an assist from starlet Tyrique George.
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca put out a youthful team including a first start for 16-year-old forward Reggie Walsh but the gulf in class was always evident.
Djurgarden’s best chance came in the 71st minute when Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen tipped a Daniel Stensson shot over the bar.
Betis’ hero was Abde Ezzalzouli who struck an extra-time winner to make them the first Spanish side to reach the Conference League final with a 4-3 aggregate victory over Fiorentina.
The Italian hosts faced an uphill task of overturning a first-leg deficit after Betis won 2-1 in Seville last week.
Betis increased their advantage when Antony scored on the half-hour mark with a stunning free-kick. Fiorentina drew level on two Robin Gosen headed goals within eight minutes. The German headed in from a corner in the 34th minute and then outjumped Marc Bartra to find the top corner to drag the match into extra time.
Betis ultimately edged through with a 2-2 result on the night after Ezzalzouli scored in the 97th minute from Antony’s cross.
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