Chelsea edge past Servette in unconvincing Europa Conference League play-off victory

Chelsea secured a 2-0 win over Swiss side Servette in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, but the scoreline doesn’t reflect the full story of the match.

Goals from Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke ensured a clean sheet and a healthy advantage heading into the second leg, but the visitors had their chances, and Chelsea were fortunate not to concede.

Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s new manager, finally celebrated his first win in charge, but it came after a nervy first half in which the home side struggled. Chelsea, featuring nine changes from their Premier League opener, were lackluster before the break, with Servette dominating much of the play and creating several big chances.

The breakthrough came early in the second half when Nkunku converted a penalty after being fouled by Servette goalkeeper Jeremy Frick.

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Chelsea looked more purposeful after the break, and despite missing a clear opportunity to extend their lead, they eventually doubled it through Madueke, who provided a much-needed spark off the bench.

Servette nearly pulled one back late on, but substitute Jeremy Guillemenot missed a golden chance in the final minute, leaving Maresca breathing a sigh of relief.

The result gives Chelsea a cushion ahead of their trip to Switzerland next week, but the performance left much to be desired.

Maresca will be encouraged by some individual performances, particularly from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tosin Adarabioyo, who both showed promise. However, the overall display highlighted the need for improvement as Chelsea prepare for a crucial Premier League clash at Molineux on Sunday.

While the victory was far from convincing, it provides Maresca with a temporary reprieve from the pressure surrounding the club, with a result on Sunday crucial to maintaining stability at Stamford Bridge.