Europa Conference League

THE flares and pyrotechnics were in the home areas but it was Chelsea who delivered the second half explosives to effectively seal their place in the Europa Conference League semi-finals.This Blues team which cost over £1billion to put together has not exactly set alight the tournament which was introduced by Uefa for the game’s paupers.Noni Madueke made the difference after coming onCredit: PAJadon Sancho provided two assistsCredit: ReutersMadueke taps in Chelsea’s third from close rangeCredit: GettyTyrique George scored the first senior goal of his careerCredit: RexBut no other team in the Conference League can afford to take off a player like Cole Palmer at half-time and introduce a player like Noni Madueke.Blues manager Enzo Maresca was rewarded for his change with Madueke playing a part in the first goal, scored by teenager Tyrique George, before the England international grabbed the next two goals.Madueke’s second goal, for 3-0, came 25 seconds after striker Christopher Nkunku missed a penalty.And while Chelsea failed to score in the first half for a seventh successive game, they are in a good place for next week’s second leg when Legia and 1000 of their notorious fans – after a five-match away ban – will head to Stamford Bridge.READ MORE IN CHELSEAFor Chelsea, this was a first ever competitive game in Poland and it looks as though a second one in the same country will follow next month.While only 742 of Chelsea’s hardcore away support were allowed into this quarter-final first leg – and they were kept in for 60 minutes after the match for their own safety – the supporters will surely be heading back here in much greater numbers on May 28.As expected, the atmosphere inside the Polish Army Stadium was pretty lively and the home ultras’ constant use of flares is certain to land them with a Uefa fine. Another one.Chelsea were poor in the first half and created very little with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall having their only shot on target.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSBut four minutes into the second half, Reece James’ long-range shot was parried by the home keeper Kacper Tobiasz and George neatly tucked away the rebound for his first senior goal.That certainly took the sting out of the tie and the second goal duly followed with keeper Tobiasz at fault again, this time his poor clearance being cut out by James.Chelsea’s £115m ace Moises Caicedo has £160k Audi seized by cops after driving without valid licence near training groundChelsea ratings vs Legia Warsaw as Tyrique George scores first ever Blues goalCHELSEA took control of their Europa Conference League quarter-final tie against Legia Warsaw after a 3-0 win in Poland.The Blues had to deal with a raucous atmosphere from the Polish crowd with pre-game pyrotechnics leaving a heavy cloud of smoke in the visitor’s defensive end at the start of the game.The home crowd were certainly up for the clash and sang throughout the game, despite precious little happening in the first half.Enzo Maresca clearly gave his side a wake-up call at half-time with the Blues looking energised after the break before Tyrique George reacted quickest to a Reece James shot to break the deadlock.Noni Madueke then grabbed the second a few minutes later as Chelsea made the most of a counter-attack.Madueke added a third, again set-up by Jadon Sancho, 25 seconds after Christopher Nkunku saw a penalty saved.Here’s how SunSport’s Tony Robertson rated the Chelsea victors…Jadon Sancho, who did little in the first half but played with a bit more zip after the break, picked out Madueke and he stroked a shot into the bottom corner from near the penalty spot.Chelsea were awarded a spot-kick after a foul on Dewsbury-Hall but Nkunku , who looks devoid of all confidence, saw his penalty saved by Tobiasz.Yet just 25 seconds later, Sancho burst down the left and his cross was turned in at the far post by Madueke.For Maresca, he can once again focus on claiming a top five spot in the Premier League with a game at home to Ipswich on Sunday.And due to this result, the Italian coach can make a few more changes for the second leg before trying to clip the wings of their lofty west London neighbours Fulham three days later. More

CHELSEA are all cisterns go in Europe thanks to Kiernan Dewbury-Hall.The midfielder’s second half goal sealed his team’s passage into the quarter finals of the Conference League after almost an hour of frustrating football.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored as Chelsea beat Copenhagen 1-0 at Stamford BridgeCredit: PAThe 3-1 aggregate result saw the Blues reach the quarter-finals of the Conference LeagueCredit: AFPPrior to the 55th minute breakthrough, Chelsea had stunk the place out, though it had nothing to do with the lingering pong of star man Cole Palmer’s diarrhoea from the weekend.Dewsbury-Hall’s well placed shot was only the second on target following a first half in which they failed to register a shot of any kind.But the £30 million signing from Leicester last summer has yet to play a full 90 minutes in the Premier League this season so it’s no wonder he might be a bit rusty.His goal was enough to put a two-goal cushion between the two teams and ensure that Chelsea’s last remaining hope of silverware this campaign remains on course.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIt was also just the thing to avoid the prospect of extra time and the drain that would place on boss Enzo Maresca’s squad just three days before a tough trip to Arsenal which looms this weekend.Maresca has often expressed sympathy for Dewsbury-Hall over his lack of action in the big league.Instead he has been largely restricted to the third-rate Conference League and domestic cups, where he has done a sound job and now scored three times.And with Chelsea’s Italian head coach willing to rotate his team selection week by week, Dewsbury-Hall must be knocking on the door of the first team.Most read in FootballCheltenham Festival betting offers and free betsEspecially as The Blues have hardly been convincing in their drive for a top four or five finish and a return to Champions League football next season.Once Dewsbury-Hall had broken the deadlock, Chelsea could press forward with more confidence and in more relaxed mode.Cole Palmer left bemused as Chelsea star is asked about fighting giant chicken wing Think gutrot victim Palmer before and after he had to rush off the pitch on Sunday to head straight down the tunnel and pay a visit to the little boys’ room.Even Maresca cut an agitated figure prior to the breakthrough goal.At one point slapping one hand into the other in despair at some of his team’s play.Yet he seems happy to jig and rejig his players around, continuing to play Hokey Cokey with his keepers and drafted in Filip Jorgensen in place of Robert Sanchez.Dewsbury-Hall scored Chelsea’s only goal in the 55th minuteCredit: GettyIt had been a drab affair up to his openerCredit: GettyHaving announced the Dane as his number one recently, he was dropped for last week’s first leg and Sunday’s Premier League win over Leicester.And with a sickness bug having staged a mini rampage through the squad in the past few days, illness victims Cole Palmer, Reece James and Christopher Nkunku were left in reserve as substitutes.Chelsea’s Premier League squad is the youngest by far this season and the club’s youth-first policy went to new extremes with the inclusion on the bench of teenager Reggie Walsh.At 16 years and 144 days old, academy boy Walsh was in line to become the second youngest Chelsea debutant of all time being Ian Hamilton.Chelsea were made to work for their winCredit: EPACopenhagen tried giving it a go but lacked quality with their final touchCredit: PAHamilton was 16yrs and 138 days in 1967 when he became an instant hero by scoring against Tottenham while making his professional bow.And with six changes overall to the starting line up which eventually overcame the second worst team in the Premier League at the weekend, there was a slight mix ‘n match feel to Maresca’s team.And with Chelsea  a yard off the pace they could mustered a shot either on or off target by the break. Not what Maresca wanted.With a visit to one of their toughest away grounds coming next, Chelsea were humiliated 5-0 at the Emirates stadium last season, he wanted this game put to bed early.Cole Palmer had another frustrating evening as he came off the benchCredit: EPAEnzo Maresca will be eager to win the Conference LeagueCredit: AFPInstead, the frustration among the fans following the weekend’s grinding win picked up from where it left off.Mis-placed passes and lack of a cutting edge let the visitors off the hook time and time again as a particularly inexperienced team struggled to produce some joined-up footballCopenhagen were no better. But at least they did manage to mount one threat on the goal late in the first half when Viktor Claesson headed goalbound from a corner and Jorgensen had to save under his crossbar.When the half time whistle blew a few moments later there was an audible smattering of boos from fed-up fans, grumpy at the lack of decisiveness.The muffled jeers turned to cheers when Maresca switched things up and made two half time substitutions – bringing on left back Cucurella and Palmer in a bid to inject some energy.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe tempo quickly ramped up with Enzo Fernandez hitting the home side’s first meaningful shot of the night which was beaten away by keeper Diant Ramaj.And Maresca was finally smiling when Dewsbury-Hall stayed on his feet while ploughing through the Danish defence to rifle home the shot which sealed the tie and Chelsea’s passage into the last eight next month.Chelsea player ratingsCHELSEA are into the Conference League quarter-finals after beating Copenhagen 1-0.A rare moment of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall magic and two half-time subs igniting the game and the crowd were the difference.Cole Palmer’s half-time introduction alongside Marc Cucurella certainly injected some energy into the Chelsea attack, but he was still unable to break his run of poor form in this one.Enzo Maresca and his men will be hoping that small issue is fixed before they face Legia Warsaw in the next round.Check out our full Chelsea player ratings. 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