Chelsea continued their winning run in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday with a 2-1 victory against FC Copenhagen in the first leg of the Round of 16. Goals from Reece James and Enzo Fernández gave the visitors a 2-0 lead before Gabriel Pereira pulled one back for the hosts. Here are the positives and negatives from the match.
Positives
Second-Half Response
After a lackluster first half, Chelsea needed a reaction to maintain their winning momentum. Enzo Maresca made three changes at halftime, introducing Levi Colwill, Enzo Fernández, and Christopher Nkunku. The impact was immediate, with Chelsea taking the lead early in the second half. Nkunku’s hold-up play allowed Marc Cucurella to drive toward the byline before delivering a cross that found Reece James, who struck brilliantly from 25 yards out.
Chelsea continued to apply pressure, even if it wasn't their best display in the competition. A combination of good pressing from Nkunku and Cucurella led to Tyrique George squaring the ball to Fernández, who made no mistake in doubling the Blues’ advantage. While the second-half performance was far from their best, it was a significant improvement compared to the first.