Chelsea sealed their Champions League quarter-final place despite failing to overcome FC Copenhagen in an absorbing match.

The Blues dominate possession and created a slew of half-chances in a sharp, occasionally stylish display. Yet the visitors were closest to scoring.

The Danish champions’ Senegalese forward Dame N’Doye struck the post with a 26^th-minute free-kick which left a static Chelsea keeper Petr Cech well beaten.

However, Copenhagen rarely threatened otherwise and Chelsea were never in any danger of throwing away their 2-0 first leg lead.

Chances came and went at regular intervals in both halves. Yuri Zhirkov had two of the clearest first-half openings, the first created by a slick four-man passing move. But he fired left-foot shots wide in both the 18^th and 33^rd minutes.

And Nicolas Anelka brought a fine save from the Danes’ keeper Johan Willard with a left-foot shot from Zhirkov’s neat pass on 21 minutes.

Jon Obi-Mikel headed against the top of the crossbar from close range in the 51^st minute. And second-half substitute Fernando Torres produced a dashing run and right-foot shot on 75 minutes to which Willard did well to get a hand.

But despite concerted late pressure, Chelsea could not find a winner.