Chelsea are into the Conference League’s quarter-finals, though Enzo Maresca will hope with his returning sidelined stars, he can up the excitement which will in turn bring the noise.
The Blues trialled a ‘singing section’ in the Shed Upper at Stamford Bridge for this second leg with Copenhagen – a group of 120 season-ticket holders bunched together and tasked with improving a subdued atmosphere which had been bugging Maresca.
Sing they did, yet their resolve was tested as Chelsea reached half-time without mustering a single shot, on or off target.
Thankfully for Maresca, the second-half introductions of Cole Palmer and Marc Cucurella – two players he would have hoped to save for their Premier League showdown with Arsenal this Sunday – upped the tempo as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored after 55 minutes. That gave Chelsea their comfortable 3-1 lead on aggregate over the side sitting second in the Danish Superliga.
Chelsea are considered such favourites for the Conference League that they could well win this European competition without needing to go up through the gears, and Arsenal are bound to be a better litmus test for where this team truly are under Maresca.
‘This club always won trophies in the past and we need to do our best to achieve our target this season,’ said Maresca, whose men will face Polish side Legia Warsaw in the quarter-finals. ‘We have to give to the fans and the club a title.’
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored Chelsea’s opening goal of the night at Stamford Bridge
Cole Palmer came off the bench at half =-time but failed to end his goal drought
Enzo Maresca was delighted at full time, but his team flattered to deceive for long periods
Not since their FA Cup win over Morecambe in January had Chelsea lined up without Palmer, and he was surrounded by Cobham kids on the bench, including a 16-year-old called Reggie Walsh.
Tyrique George, 19, and Josh Acheampong, 18, started from the academy, while Genesis Antwi, 17, was brought on for his senior debut by Maresca.
Copenhagen goalkeeper Diant Ramaj was first tested in the 48th minute when Jadon Sancho had a go from distance.
Remarkably, that was Sancho’s first shot on target for Chelsea in all competitions since Boxing Day.
Chelsea secured the victory when Dewsbury-Hall forced his way past three players, scoring nicely into the bottom corner to set up a quarter-final with Legia Warsaw.