Chelsea took a huge step toward the UEFA Conference League semi-finals with a commanding 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw in Poland, thanks to goals from teenager Tyrique George and substitute Noni Madueke.
After a goalless and cagey first half, the game burst into life shortly after the break. Just four minutes into the second half, 19-year-old winger George opened the scoring, reacting quickest to slot home a rebound after Reece James’ shot was saved. It marked his first senior goal for Chelsea, having been with the club since age eight.
Legia, backed by a raucous home crowd and an intense pre-match tifo showing a knight slaying a lion, struggled to cope with Chelsea’s second-half pace and precision.
Jadon Sancho, a constant threat on the wing, set up Madueke for Chelsea’s second in the 57th minute with a neat low pass. Madueke, who came on at half-time for the ineffective Cole Palmer, then netted again in the 74th minute after Nkunku missed a penalty just seconds earlier.
Despite the missed spot-kick, Chelsea’s dominance never looked in doubt. The Premier League side, led by Enzo Maresca, are heavy favourites to lift the trophy in Wroclaw this May and are on course for a return to European success, having last won the Champions League in 2021.
Their European campaign has been near flawless—six wins in the group stage, 26 goals scored, and only five conceded. After dispatching Copenhagen in the last 16, they now look set to breeze past Legia and face either Djurgardens or Rapid Vienna in the semi-finals.
The return leg at Stamford Bridge is set for Thursday, 17 April, and with a three-goal cushion, Chelsea already have one foot firmly in the final four.
