European Super Football

FC Copenhagen 1 - 2 Chelsea Chelsea took a significant step towards the Europa Conference League quarter-finals with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Copenhagen in Denmark. Author - Lauren W Stadium - Parken Enzo Maresca’s side were uninspiring in the first half, failing to register a shot on target, but they burst into life immediately after the break. Marc Cucurella, introduced at half-time for the injured Malo Gusto, made an instant impact by surging down the left and cutting the ball back for captain Reece James, who lashed a superb low drive into the bottom corner from 30 yards out. Copenhagen came agonisingly close to an equaliser moments later when Viktor Claesson’s angled strike cannoned off the inside of the post and fell kindly into the hands of relieved Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. The Blues made their hosts pay for that missed opportunity in the 65th minute. Cucurella, once again influential, won possession high up the pitch before Christopher Nkunku played in T...

Shamrock Rovers 0 - 1 Molde (Finished 1-1 on aggregate) Molde won 5-4 on penalties Shamrock Rovers’ European adventure came to a cruel end at Tallaght Stadium as they suffered a 5-4 defeat on penalties to Molde in the play-off round of the UEFA Conference League. Author - Greg S The decisive moment came when Aaron Greene, taking Rovers’ third penalty, saw his effort saved – the only miss of the shootout. Molde, who had played the entirety of extra time with 10 men following Isak Amundsen’s red card, held their nerve from the spot to progress. Earlier, Magnus Wolff Eikrem had scored the only goal of the night, cancelling out Rovers’ slender 1-0 advantage from the first leg. Sixteen-year-old Michael Noonan had been the hero in Norway, but his strike ultimately wasn’t enough to carry the Irish side through. Rovers’ lead lasted just 10 minutes as a disastrous defensive mix-up gifted Molde an equaliser. A hopeful ball over the top was left to bounce, and hesitation between Lee Grace and goa...

Astana 1 - 3 Chelsea Former Barcelona player Marc Guiu made a big impression as Chelsea secured their spot in the UEFA Conference League knockout stage with a victory over Astana in freezing Kazakhstan. Author - Lauren W The Blues embarked on the 3,600-mile journey to Almaty, where they faced challenging conditions, including biting temperatures of -11°C. However, a heavily rotated Chelsea side showed their mettle, wrapping up the win with three first-half goals. Eighteen-year-old Spanish youth international Guiu was among several young players given an opportunity to shine, and he seized it. In the 14th minute, he opened the scoring with an impressive solo run, calmly finishing to put Chelsea ahead. Just four minutes later, Guiu's effort from Pedro Neto's cross was deflected in by Aleksandr Marochkin, doubling the lead and putting Chelsea firmly in control. Renato Veiga added a third just before half-time with a well-taken header – his second goal of the season. Spurs 3 - ...