Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Chelsea: Pedro rocket gives Blues crucial away goal in Europa League semi
Pedro's first-half piledriver equalizes Luka Jovic's brilliant diving header as Chelsea and Eintracht Frankfurt draw in Germany to set up tense UEFA Europa League second leg at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea started the match well, but Frankfurt soon gained a foothold in the game and took the lead through a superb effort from Jovic, who converted a Filip Kostic cross with a low diving header that left Blues keeper Kepa helpless to stop it.
The Premier League side responded well to the 25th-minute setback, with Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek both firing narrowly wide of the target as Chelsea began to increase the pressure.
And that pressure finally paid off in first-half stoppage time, as former Barcelona man Pedro found time and space inside the Frankfurt penalty area to fire an unstoppable shot past Kevin Trapp and draw Chelsea level with the last significant action of the opening half.
Chelsea nearly took the lead after the break when a 25-yard dipping free-kick from David Luiz struck the crossbar, and the Blues looked to turn their pressure into goals as they introduced Belgian star Eden Hazard just after the hour mark.
The Blues were unable to find a late winner, but Maurizio Sarri's men will be happy to take a crucial away goal back to Stamford Bridge for the second leg in London next Thursday night.
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