Ballack now the head boy: Chelsea in semi-finals as German nets early

Instrumental in last month's 3-0 victory over Olympiacos in the second round last month, Ballack's fourth-minute header secured Chelsea's place in this year's semi-final.

The German midfielder, increasing in influence with each passing week, was the difference between the teams against Fenerbahce as he dictated the tempo and, with it, the course of Chelsea's season.

Avram Grant's side were nervous, but only Liverpool now stand between them and a first appearance in the final.

The opposition in the last four will be better than anything Fenerbahce could offer last night, but their remarkable unbeaten home record, stretching back 68 games, could prove decisive.

They may have to rely on the rusty instincts of their third-choice goalkeeper Hilario, but there is a resilience about them, and their persistence paid off last night.

Just under 50,000 Fenerbahce fans helped bring Chelsea to their knees last week and they brought a little bit of their fanatical support with them to London, with over 4,000 fanatics making it to Stamford Bridge, dreaming of a place in the semi-final.

They deserved their moment in paradise, when goals from Colin Kazim-Richards and Deivid in last week's first leg gave Zico's side the advantage after a remarkable second-half fightback in Turkey.

They got a rude awakening last night. Chelsea were irresistible from the off, rivalling their awesome first half performance in Turkey last Wednesday and underlining it with a goal.

It came from Michael Ballack, beautiful in the first half last week and flaky after the break, after just four minutes.

Lampard scuttled over to the right to take Chelsea's first free-kick of the game and Ballack beat Mehmet Aurelio at the near post to turn the ball past goalkeeper Volkan Demirel.

That was almost as easy as it was last Wednesday, when Chelsea put in the best first-half shift under Avram Grant's leadership.

It is too soon to talk of a return to the golden years, when Gianfranco Zola would leave 40,000 Chelsea's supporters worshipping every elegant touch, flick with the outside of his boot and mesmerising move.

That was then and this is now — Chelsea, the refined long-ball team, powering their way towards the semi-finals of the European Cup for the fourth time in five years.

They believe, as they believe every year, that their time has come in this competition. The Big One — the date with destiny, the day when they can truly reach for the stars — has always eluded them over the last four years.

Moscow was the backdrop to this tense, often absorbing, second leg and, just in case Chelsea needed reminders of their targets, Roman Abramovich had made it to Stamford Bridge with the missus in tow.

He met Ballack's opening goal with an approving look, but Fenerbahce were not overawed.

Conceding a goal in the opening four minutes was not in Zico's gameplan, but keeping it tight after that certainly was.

They escaped when Didier Drogba's curled effort cleared the bar and were given hope when Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini limped off midway through the first half.

It was rotten luck for Grant, who lost Petr Cech for the rest of the season with a facial injury on Sunday.

Now Chelsea's fate is in Hilario's hands. The Portuguese keeper had not played for the first team since the first leg of the Carling Cup semifinal against Everton, but the stakes have been raised a bit since then.

Fenerbahce centre half Lugano nearly pulled out an ace when he rose above Chelsea's static defence to meet Alex's lofted free-kick, but he sent his header wide of Hilario's post.

Chelsea knew 1-0 would be enough to see them through, but Zico's side refused to panic.

They had Salomon Kalou sussed long before the break, sending him down blind alleys and looking for a chink of light themselves.

Semih Senturk, in for dropped miscreant Mateja Kezman up front, kept himself busy, chasing lost causes and creating a nuisance of himself.

Chelsea could not afford to relax. They did that in Turkey and look what happened then.

Drogba could have doubled Chelsea's lead at the start of the second half, swivelling inside the area after collecting Michael Essien's cross, but he sent his strike into Demirel's grateful arms.

Chelsea's nervous flag-waving fans were subdued, clock watching and counting down the minutes until Herbert Fandel signalled that they had made it through to the last four.

Essien was booked for throwing the ball away, meaning he will be suspended for the first leg of the semi-final, but it was he who got to the byeline and crossed for Frank Lampard to secure Chelsea's last-four place with the second goal, tapped in from just three yards out.