UECL: Chelsea take first leg lead
Chelsea 2 - 0 Servette
Christopher Nkunku’s penalty helped Enzo Maresca claim his first win as Chelsea manager, with the Blues securing a two-goal lead against Servette in the first leg of their Conference League play-off.
A significantly rotated Chelsea side had been struggling to break down their Swiss opponents until Nkunku was brought down by goalkeeper Jeremy Frick early in the second half.
The French forward, one of only two players to retain their place from the team that started the 2-0 defeat to Manchester City calmly converted the penalty, marking the first goal of the Maresca era.
Nkunku, a former Paris St-Germain player, celebrated in his signature style by inflating a blue balloon in front of the ecstatic Chelsea supporters.
Chelsea nearly extended their lead shortly afterwards when Frick hesitated with the ball, allowing 18-year-old Marc Guiu to pounce. The Spanish youth international seemed poised to score, but he lost his composure, and Frick managed to recover and make the save.
However, substitute Noni Madueke made it 2-0 with a powerful strike from a tight angle inside the penalty area in the 72nd minute.
Chelsea will feel confident of completing the job and progressing to the group stage of European football’s third-tier competition when they head to Geneva for the second leg on 29 August.
There was a sense of relief around Stamford Bridge at the final whistle as Chelsea were made to work hard for the win, enduring some nervy moments.
Servette had 22 attempts to Chelsea’s 14, with substitute Tiemoko Ouattara hitting the crossbar with a deflected shot in the 86th minute.
Despite these scares, Chelsea managed to grind out the victory, putting the disappointment of their opening loss to Manchester City behind them and giving Maresca’s tenure a positive start.
A closer look at what happened
Maresca made nine changes from the weekend’s starting XI, ending the match with five substitutes on the pitch, including Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, and Malo Gusto.
Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen and defender Tosin Adarabioyo made their debuts, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Guiu, Renato Veiga, and Pedro Neto were given their first starts.
Portugal forward Neto, a £54m signing from Wolves, delivered an impressive performance, showing bursts of explosive pace before being replaced by Madueke.
Chelsea, captained by Moises Caicedo—who, along with Nkunku, also started Sunday’s league defeat—will face tougher challenges ahead. But after a turbulent summer, which saw another managerial change and their transfer strategy heavily criticised, the Blues were at least able to celebrate a much-needed victory.
