Chelsea Ladies were only just finding their feet as a serious force when an English team last won the Women’s Champions League, 11 years ago. Now, for the first time in their history they are in the semi-finals after they beat Montpellier 3-1 on the night, 5-1 on aggregate.

Two goals from Fran Kirby and one by Ramona Bachmann secured a scoreline that was not quite as convincing as it looked. Chelsea were certainly made to scrap for the victory by a Montpellier side who attacked with purpose but found a doughty defence, marshalled by the excellent Millie Bright, in their way and refusing to budge.

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The Chelsea manager, Emma Hayes, was a coach at Arsenal when they won this tournament, then known simply as the Uefa Women’s Cup, in 2007. Now she leads one of two English teams in the last four, after Manchester City had booked their place by thrashing Linköping earlier in the day.

“For so long we’ve been told that English clubs can’t do it, because it’s about the French and German sides, but this is a proud day for Chelsea and Manchester City,” said Hayes. “We’re no longer second-class in Europe.”

Hayes said she demanded a fast start and that is exactly what she got. By the fourth minute they had added to their 2-0 lead from the first leg after Kirby, who Hayes described as “the best English attacker by a country mile”, intercepted a groggy pass from Sakina Karchaoui deep in the Montpellier half and sped through on goal. “It’s probably every striker’s worst nightmare when you’ve got so much time,” Kirby said. If she was having nightmares, it did not show as she tucked a neat finish into the bottom corner.

Aside from that strike, Montpellier were the more threatening side in the early stages. Chelsea keeper Hedvig Lindahl made a few solid saves, Valérie Gauvin skimmed a shot just past the post and Katie Chapman had to head off the line following a corner. Hayes’s side were in the curious position of being ostensibly comfortable in the tie but looking vulnerable in the game.

Montpellier did find the net in the 37th minute. The former Chelsea midfielder Sofia Jakobsson collected the ball on the right of the area, looked around for options then hit the ball almost for lack of anything else to do. She will presumably claim it was a shot, it could have been a cross, but it was certainly a goal, looping over Lindahl and into the net.

The French side started the second half on the front foot again but five minutes after the break Chelsea regained the lead on the night, Kirby threading a perfect pass through to Bachmann, who guided the ball nervelessly into the corner.

Chelsea required more hearty defending thereafter but made the tie safe with 13 minutes left. Ji So-yun jinked into the area, was taken down by Linda Sembrant and Kirby tucked the penalty away, fully earning her standing ovation when she was taken off a few minutes later.

There is a friendly rivalry between Chelsea and City – Hayes said she would text congratulations to their manager Nick Cushing – but the possibility of them reprising their domestic duels in Europe is a delicious one. “It’s massive that two English teams have made it through,” said Kirby. “Hopefully it’ll be a Chelsea v City final.”

First though, it is Wolfsburg in the semi-final, no small task given the Germans have knocked them out of Europe in the last two seasons, while City take on the holders, Lyon. Not that they seem cowed by that. “I’m not afraid of them, so let’s go, let’s bring it on,” said Hayes, who is expecting twins in June. “Hopefully I don’t give birth pitchside.”