Chelsea secure place in Women's Champions League semi-finals

Chelsea are into the Women's Champions League semi-finals for the fifth time in seven seasons as Emma Hayes seeks to land the ultimate prize in club football before departing to take charge of the United States women’s national team this summer.

With Chelsea currently leading the WSL, set to contest the Conti Cup final on Sunday and then the FA Cup semi-finals in mid-April, the dream of a quadruple remains within Hayes' grasp.

The rotated Blues successfully saw off Ajax in their quarter-final tie, drawing 1-1 on the night after already doing the bulk of the work with a 3-0 first leg victory in Amsterdam a week ago.

Chelsea were defensively shaky in the early stages at Stamford Bridge and could have seen their aggregate lead cut into on a few occasions, notably when Romee Leuchter missed a glorious chance and then as Tiny Hoekstra charged down a clearance from goalkeeper Zecira Musovic.

Any growing nerves from those on the pitch, in the dugout and in the stands were eased when Mayra Ramirez, potentially the world’s most expensive player if all the add-ons included in her £425,000 transfer from Levante are met, calmly finished from Guro Reiten's pass.

That goal took the tie beyond Ajax, but the Dutch visitors still sensed blood and the potential for a famous result at Stamford Bridge. Chasity Grant was the grateful recipient of some more suspect goalkeeping from Musovic, back in the side after losing her usual starting place earlier this season, when a tame finish slipped through the Swede's hands.

As it happens, Musovic made a world class save 15 minutes later to deny Ajax the lead on the night, acrobatically tipping Leuchter's curling finish wide of the far post. She seemed determined not to let the visitors past her again