When Chelsea walked out at Stamford Bridge for their UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg in April 2014, the odds were firmly against them. A 3-1 defeat at the Parc des Princes had left Jose Mourinho's side needing a special performance to advance — and things got harder still when Eden Hazard limped off injured after just 18 minutes.

What followed, however, was one of the most memorable European nights in west London, sealed in the 87th minute by a crucial Demba Ba goal that sent Chelsea into the semi-finals.

The mountain Chelsea had to climb

"I didn't play many Champions League semi-finals throughout my career, and that goal against PSG allowed us to reach one," Ba told FourFourTwo. "We had lost 3-1 in Paris and needed a magical night at Stamford Bridge."

With the away goals rule still in force, Chelsea needed a commanding victory. Andre Schürrle, who had come on to replace the injured Hazard, gave the home side a lifeline with a 32nd-minute opener. One more goal would be enough — but Laurent Blanc's Paris Saint-Germain side dug in stubbornly at the back.

"In the second half, we pushed hard and hit the crossbar twice," Ba recalled, watching the action from the substitutes' bench.

Ba's moment of pure instinct

In the 66th minute, Mourinho turned to Ba, sending him on in place of Frank Lampard. The Senegalese striker wasted no time making his mark.

"I wasn't a starter, but I came on in the final stretch and took my chance," Ba said. "I scored after pouncing on a loose ball in the six-yard box with a lot of instinct and anticipation — I was willing to die for that ball."

The finish sent Stamford Bridge into raptures. Ba sprinted to the corner flag as his teammates and his manager erupted in celebration. "I remember running to celebrate toward a corner; my teammates swarmed me, and even Jose Mourinho jumped on me," he said.

For Ba, no night in a Chelsea shirt came close. "It was the most special night I experienced wearing the Chelsea shirt," he reflected.