CHANCE!! Benfica almost equalise! Cardozo is in on goal with seconds to go and only has to turn it in but Gary Cahill somehow gets at him and clears off the line!
90' +3
B. Ivanović has scored a goal for Chelsea! Assist by Mata.
GOOALLLLL!!!!! CHELSEA SCORE!
INCREDIBLE! AMAZING! BRANISLAV IVANOVIC LOOPS IN A HEADER WHICH HANGS IN THE AIR BEFORE CATALYSING AN EXPLOSION AMONG THE CHELSEA FANS!!
90'
Benfica now come forward in waves but Chelsea are managing to hold them off. We're going to have three additional minutes folks! Time for a winner?
89'
OFF THE BAR! WHAT A STRIKE! Frank Lampard launches a right-footed missile at goal from 20 yards out and has Artur beaten all ends up but sees the ball come rocketing back off the woodwork!
88'
Gaitan swings a free kick into the area from the right-hand side but it's headed straight into the arms of Cech.
87'
Azpilicueta hits a shot from range but his attempt to guide it with the side of his foot means it has very little power on it, making it an easy save for Artur. Both sets of fans are bracing themselves for extra-time.
85'
There resulting corner is taken by Mata and aimed towards Cahil but Benfica manage to clear their lines. End-to-end stuff inside the final five minutes.
84'
Ramires drives into the box after a sweeping Chelsea attack but Luisao throws himself at the Brazilian and makes and important block!
82'
SAVE! Oscar Cardozo picks up the ball at the edge of the area and guides a super volley at goal which Cech does well to tip over the bar. The striker then inadvertently clears the resulting corner for the Blues!
81'
Chelsea try to work an attack through Azpilicueta but David Luiz's ball into the Spaniard is slightly over hit and Benfica manage to pick up the ball.
Minute
Description
79'
Stefan Coerts reports from Amsterdam: "Jardel deserves to come on, he's been warming up since the fifth minute."
78'
Jardel enters the game and replaces E. Garay.
77'
Garay is on the touchline slapping the ground. He went down rather innocuously in that Torres penalty shout and it looks like his night is over.
75'
PENALTY SHOUT! Fernando Torres receives the ball inside the box and tries to turn but goes down under a challenge from Luisao. It was a good turn but the referee is not buying the foul. Play on!
74'
Stefan Coerts, reports from Amsterdam: "And Benfica finally get the goal they've been after all evening! Cesar Azpilicueta is penalised after handling the ball inside his own area and Oscar Cardozo makes no mistake from the spot.
"If anyone was going to score for Benfica, it had to be the Paraguayan, who has now scored in seven of his team's last 11 matches against English teams, registering nine goals in total."
72'
The Brazilian has the ball again but it's a wasteful cross which sails out of touch. Rafa Benitez needs his Chelsea boys to regroup.
71'
CLOSE! Ramires is almost in behind the Benfica defence as Lampard plays him through but Garay manages to get back at the Brazilian and hual the ball of him.
69'
Get this! The Paraguayan striker injures himself in the goal celebration and might have to be substituted!
68'
Penalty goal scored by Ó. Cardozo for Benfica!
GOAL! Benfica are level! Cardozo thumps his penalty past Cech after the Portuguese side were awarded a spot-kick for Azpilicueta's handball. Game on!
67'
PENALTY TO BENFICA!
66'
O. John enters the game and replaces L. Melgarejo.
Lima enters the game and replaces Rodrigo.
All the swagger we saw from Benfica seems to have dissipated since Fernando Torres' goal.
65'
Great work from Oscar, he keeps going and going in a tussle with Almeida and earns his side a free kick. Chelsea then go on the attack and almost work a chance as Mata and Lampard combine. Chelsea are on the front foot now!
62'
Fernando Torres gets clattered by Luisao, the man who he shrugged off moments ago, and Chelsea earn a free kick. Nothing comes from it, but all the noise is now emanating from the travelling Blues supporters.
61'
Luisão gets yellow.
60'
Fernando Torres has scored a goal for Chelsea! Assist by Mata.
Fernando Torres gives Chelsea the lead! The Spaniard was played through by Mata and then managed to shrug off Luisao before rounding Artur and slotting the ball over the line from a tight angle. It's a superb goal from the Spaniard.
58'
GOAL! FERNANDO TORRES! CHELSEA LEAD!
57'
Better from Chelsea. They threaten to score for the first time since the break as Lampard sweeps a good ball out to Ramires. The Brazilian tries to find his countryman, Oscar, inside the box but a Benfica defender manages to block.
55'
Fernando Torres picks up the ball on the halfway line and threads a ball through to Ramires who is caught offside, twice in a matter of moments from the Brazilian.
53'
Benfica have started the second half just as they did the first and Chelsea are hanging on. Jorge Jesus' side are playing with a greater intensity than Rafa Benitez's.
51'
GOAL DISALLOWED! Oscar Cardozo gets up over Cahill to head Gaitan's cross into the bottom corner but as the Benfica striker wheels away in celebration he see's the linesman's flag go up!
50'
GREAT DEFENDING! Oscar Cardozo holds up the ball superbly before playing a low pass into the box for Gaitan to shoot. But Cesar Azpilicueta reads it superbly to come across and make the intervention. Fantastic defending.
49'
CHANCE! Oscar Cardozo nods down a long ball into a dangerous area for Gaitan to hit on the volley but the Argentine still can't find his shooting boots.
48'
Both teams are playing towards their own fans in this second half. The travelling Benfica support are rocking and willing their team forward in the process.
47'
It's a stunning cross from Salvio to start the half! Benfica really should have done better from his delivery as Chelsea manage to clear. Early warning signs for Rafa Benitez
46'
Chelsea take the kick-off and we are underway for the second half at the Amsterdam ArenA.
45' +1
E. Garay gets yellow.
45'
Torres finds Oscar with a great flick but the Brazilian is hauled down by Garay has he breaks forward. Nothing comes from the free kick, we're going to have one additional minute.
42'
Benfica have Chelsea pinned back in their own half but the Blues are defending with much more assurance than they did in the opening periods and don't look like conceding.
40'
CHANCE! Juan Mata drops his shoulder, leaves a defender behind and then crosses to the back post where Chelsea players are queueing up. Torres and co. are all caught offside though. Fine margins.
37'
GREAT SAVE! Frank Lampard is denied the opening goal by a fantastic save from Artur! The Benfica goalkeeper was diving one way with the ball heading the other, but he still managed to get a hand on the Chelsea midfielder's shot!
35'
Chelsea are having to weather a Benfica storm here in Amsterdam, at the moment they are holding strong but the Portuguese side are not letting up.
33'
CHANCE! It's Nico Gaitan again with the chance. He contorts his body to manufacture a shot with his left foot and gets it all wrong. The build-up play, though, carved through Chelsea like a knife through butter. Testing times.
31'
The Paraguayan has a go at goal but after a deflection the ball runs into the arms of Petr Cech.
30'
Chance for Benfica as Salvio is brought down just outside the Chelsea area. Oscar Cardozo is going to be all over this...
28'
CHANCE! Almeida swings a ball into the back post and finds Gaitan in acres of space but for some reason the Argentine opts to play the ball back into the six-yard box rather than have a shot at goal himself. Let off for Chelsea.
26'
CLOSE! Better from Chelsea. Oscar receives possession just outside the area and elects to dig out a shot which Artur rather makes a meal of. A strike on target at least. The Blues are beginning to work their way into the match.
24'
Stefan Coerts reports from the Amsterdam ArenA: "I'm sat right next to the Benfica fans and they seem to be determined not to go unnoticed.
"They started singing as soon as [referee Bjorn] Kuipers blew his whistle for the first time and seem to have no intention to let up. The Chelsea supporters have also come out in full force and were desperately screaming for a booking after [Nemanja] Matic's early foul on Ramires, but the referee let the former Chelsea midfielder escape."
21'
Finally some good hold up play from Fernando Torres as he tries to stir Chelsea into the action but nothing doing here for the Blues. Everything they try just seems to be falling apart.
19'
No penetration whatsoever from Chelsea. Eusebio, Cruyff and Platini are in the stands, they know one or two things about penetrating defences...
17'
Chelsea have a chance to launch an attack of their own but Fernando Torres' square ball is well cut out by Garay. Rafa Benitez barks out instructions from the touchline, his players are being given a bit of a run around right now.
15'
SCRAMBLE! Benfica should really be ahead here after that free kick caused all sorts of mayhem in the Chelsea defence. Rodrigo had a swipe at the ball from close range but neither him or any of his team-mates could turn the ball past Cech. Chelsea, you could say, are hanging on!
14'
Oscar gets yellow.
Nico Gaitan really should have tested Petr Cech with his last effort. Benfica have another opportunity here from a free kick about 40 yards out.
13'
ANOTHER CHANCE! Benfica are getting closer and closer. They work their way into the box again with some swift passing and movement before Salvio cuts the ball back for Gaitian to shoot from inside the area but the Argentine miscues his effort and it sails well over.
11'
CHANCE! Cardozo has a chance to turn and shoot in the box after some fine buil-up play but his shot is blocked by Cahill, Salvio then can't quite get to the rebound. Chelsea are being carved open.
10'
Lampard gives Ramires a ball to chase down the right flank but Garay shows great strength to wrestle off the Brazilian and walk away with the ball. The Portuguese side look really assured in the opening stages.
9'
Almost a chance for Chelsea as Juan Mata picks out a super little run from Oscar but the Brazilian can't quite bring the ball under his spell. A better touch and we might have been talking about a Chelsea goal.
7'
Another late challenge this time on Lampard by Perez. Benfica are pushing high up the pitch and closing down Chelsea player's in possession quickly. Bright start from Jorge Jesus' side.
6'
Ramires is cynically taken out by Matic as Chelsea looked to launch their first attack of the match. The Benfica defender gets away without a booking too, perhaps the referee is reluctant to get his cards out so early on a showpiece occasion.
4'
Salvio and Luisao work their way into the box before the former drills a ball across the six-yard box. Gary Cahill makes an awkward header but Chelsea manage to clear their lines through Luiz. Dangerous from Benfica.
3'
It's a bright start from from Benfica. Almeida is found in forward position by Salvio and his cross into the area is met Oscar Cardozo. The Paraguayan takes a giant leap but can only send his header high over the bar. First attack of the game.
2'
Benfica are hoping to end a run of six straight European final defeats, will Chelsea fall victim to the Portuguese outfit tonight?
1'
Benfica take the kick-off and we are underway in Amsterdam!
Benfica: Artur; Almeida, Luisao, Garay, Melgarejo; Perez, Matic, Gaitan, Salvio; Rodrigo, Cardozo.
Subs: Paulo Lopes, Jardel, Andre Gomes, Aimar, Urreta, Ola John.
Terry has failed to recover from an ankle injury picked up during Saturday's 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, while Eden Hazard is also absent with a hamstring problem picked up in the same game. Lampard will be flanked by Brazilians David Luiz and Ramires in a three-man midfield, with Gary Cahill partnering Branislav Ivanovic at the heart of the defence.
Benfica boss Jorge Jesus has fielded his strongest available line-up, with Nemanja Matic set to face his former club in central midfield.
The teams are out on to the pitch and the pre-match ceremony is underway. The Europa League anthem plays through, there are handshakes all round and we are just moments away from the big kick-off...
Rafa Benitez will be happy to see his team go in at the break level. The Blues were under pressure for large periods of that half and despite Frank Lampard coming closest to scoring, Benfica have been the better side. Jorge Jesus will be pleased by how his players have taken to the occasion but will surely be lamenting their wasteful finishing.
Dan Levene reports from Amsterdam: "A forgettable first half. Chelsea with a dreadful start, were thankful Benfica couldn't hit a barn door with a rocket launcher. The Blues grew in stature as the half went on, with a particularly nice effort from Frank Lampard - saved by the palm of Artur - but this game needs a lot more quality if the second half is going to deliver anything worth remembering."
Watching replays of Frank Lampard's effort, goodness me how much did that ball move in the air?! Top marks to Artur for keeping the Blues' all-time record goalscoring out.
STAT ATTACK
Our very own Ewan Roberts has had his calculator out and come up with this little gem: "The Chelsea player that's touched the ball most in the first half is Petr Cech (32)."
FULL-TIME: Benfica 1-2 Chelsea
CHELSEA WIN THE EUROPA LEAGUE!
What a header from Branislav Ivanovic to win the cup for Chelsea. Absolutely magical stuff in Amsterdam. The Chelsea bench rush onto the pitch and celebrate with the players. Rafa Benitez is a hero!
Tears among the Benfica support as Jorge Jesus looks shell-shocked as Rafael Benitez approaches him for a handshake.
You have to feel for the Portuguese club after last week's last-minute loss to Porto.
Rafa Benitez becomes only the second man to win European honours with three different clubs. Quite an achievement.
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