Chelsea earned their first victory under new manager Enzo Maresca, securing a 2-0 advantage in their Europa Conference League playoff against Servette.
Christopher Nkunku, one of only two players retained from the weekend’s defeat to Manchester City, opened the scoring with a second-half penalty after being fouled by Servette goalkeeper Jeremy Frick.
The former PSG star celebrated his goal in signature style, delighting Chelsea fans with a celebratory blue balloon. The Blues had several opportunities to extend their lead, including a miss from 18-year-old Marc Guiu following a Frick error.
However, substitute Noni Madueke sealed the win with a powerful strike in the 72nd minute.
Maresca expressed relief at the full-time whistle, acknowledging that the team “played with fire” in the final minutes and were fortunate not to concede.
Despite a shaky performance, the win will be a welcome boost for Chelsea after their disappointing opening day defeat.
The Blues boss made significant changes to his starting lineup, handing debuts to Filip Jorgensen and Tosin Adarabioyo while giving first starts to several new signings.
Notably, Pedro Neto, the £54m acquisition from Wolves, impressed with his pace and dribbling skills.
Chelsea will now travel to Geneva for the second leg on August 29th, confident of securing a spot in the group stage of the Europa Conference League.
While bigger challenges lie ahead, this victory provides a positive start for Maresca’s tenure and a much-needed confidence boost after a turbulent summer.
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