Champions League: Giroud strikes late winner for Chelsea at Rennes as Sevilla beat Krasnodar

Chelsea and Sevilla progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League from Group E on Tuesday night after last-gasp victories over Rennes and FC Krasnodar respectively.

Olivier Giroud struck in the first minute of stoppage time to give Chelsea the victory at the Roazhon Park in north-western France 

The 34-year-old France international - a 69th minute replacement for Tammy Abraham - rose high to power a header into the net after Rennes goalkeeper Alfred Gomis had parried Timo Werner's shot.

“He does things like he did tonight," said Chelsea boss Frank Lampard of Giroud's winner. "That was great from him."

The former Chelsea midfielder added: "I'm very happy to qualify with two games to spare. It was a really tough match for us. Rennes are a very good team. We played well for big spells of the game. It was a tough, hard-fought win.”

Callum Hudson-Odoi gave the visitors the lead midway through the first-half after a slick through ball from Mason Mount.

Punishment
However, Chelsea failed to build on their lead and were punished five minutes from time when sloppy defending allowed Sehrou Guirassy to rise unmarked and head Benjamin Bourigeaud's outswinging corner past Edouard Mendy in the Chelsea goal.

The strike was a lifeline for Rennes in their quest to advance to the knockout stages in their first run in the Champions League.

Giroud, though, ultimately had other ideas.
Sevilla left it even later to strike. Munir El Haddadi rammed home in the fifth minute of additional time to seal the points after Wanderson had cancelled out Ivan Rakitic's first-half opener for Sevilla. 

The Spaniards entertain Chelsea on 2 December for a clash to effectively decide who will top Group E.

On the same night in Russia, Krasnodar welcome Rennes for a game to determine who will progress to the Europa League.