Frank Lampard relieved Chelsea are still in charge of Champions League destiny | Football

Frank Lampard said he was relieved that Chelsea’s hopes of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League are still in their own hands after his young side escaped with a 2-2 draw against Valencia at the Mestalla.

Chelsea were eight minutes away from qualifying with a game to spare when Kepa Arrizabalaga’s error gifted Daniel Wass an equaliser for Valencia. But Lampard’s side will go through if they win their final game in Group H, at home against Lille on 10 December, regardless of what happens when Valencia visit Ajax.

“You respect the opponent, the Champions League and how tough it is, and respect a stadium like this,” Chelsea’s manager said. “It was a really tough match. But it does keep it in our hands. Now it is on us in the last game at home to Lille. There were positives and negatives out of the game but that is a positive.”

Chelsea are third in the group after Ajax’s win at Lille. The Premier League side showed spirit after falling behind to a goal from Carlos Soler, hitting back with goals from Mateo Kovacic and Christian Pulisic. But Lampard was unhappy with the number of chances his team gave away. Arrizabalaga saved a penalty from Daniel Parejo and Rodrigo missed an open goal for Valencia in stoppage time.

Lampard said: “We both had incredible chances. Maybe their chances were more clear-cut than ours. I wouldn’t say I feel fortunate. Did I love the match? No, I didn’t love it. It hasn’t been many times this season where I have had to say: ‘We kind of got away with that.’”

Tammy Abraham was taken off on a stretcher after sustaining a hip injury. Lampard said: “The word at half-time was it looked quite severe, a bang on the hip. Then the word after the game was it might not be as severe as we first thought.”