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Bonmati fires Barcelona to set up WCL semi with Chelsea

EPA PHOTO

Aitana Bonmatí has led Barcelona to their sixth Women's Champions League semi-final, scoring the opening goal in a 3-1 win over Brann that set up a last-four clash with Chelsea.

The Ballon d'Or winner put the Catalan team in the driver's seat with a curling shot in the 24th minute before Fridolina Rolfo made it 2-0 from close range in the second half.

Defender Tomine Svendheim cut the deficit 20 minutes from time before Patri Guijarro sealed Barcelona's win with two minutes left.

Defending champions Barcelona advanced 5-2 on aggregate after winning 2-1 in the quarter-final first leg in Norway.

The Spanish club has now equalled Lyon's record of consecutive semi-final appearances.

Barcelona beat Chelsea in last year's semi-finals before going on to win the competition.

"We've got huge impetus for this rematch with Chelsea," Bonmatí said.

"This is the type of rivalry which inspires you every morning when you get up to go to work. You feel things are different. This type of match is why we became footballers in the first place."

In Paris, Paris Saint-Germain set up an all-French semi-final against Matilda star Ellie Carpenter's Lyon by defeating Häcken 3-0 after winning the first leg 2-1.

Tabitha Chawinga, the French league's top scorer and leading assist maker, scored the opener at the Parc des Princes in the 27th minute.

Korbin Albert doubled PSG's lead with a second-half long-range shot into the top corner and Marie-Antoinette Katoto completed the win with a header.

Lyon advanced to the last four for a record 13th time after a 4-1 win over Benfica. The record eight-time champions won 6-2 on aggregate after a 2-1 first leg win in Portugal.

Chelsea reached the semi-finals on Wednesday following a 1-1 draw with Ajax. Chelsea advanced 4-1 on aggregate after winning the first leg 3-0 in Amsterdam.

The home-and-away semis will be played on April 20-21 and 27-28.