Captain Reece James and Enzo Fernandez strike to put Chelsea two goals ahead
But the Blues find themselves holding on after Gabriel Pereira pulls a goal back
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By KIERAN GILL
Published: 14:49 EST, 6 March 2025 | Updated: 14:51 EST, 6 March 2025
Enzo Maresca’s Reece James experiment in midfield helped Chelsea secure their slender advantage over Copenhagen as the club captain unleashed a 25-yard bolt from the blue when the visitors were struggling to impact this Conference League last-16 first leg.
It was after being appointed Blues boss in the summer that Maresca watched back a few Wigan games from 2018-19. As unusual as that sounds, the reason was he wanted to see how a teenage James coped as a midfielder while on loan there.
Clearly, he sees something in the 25-year-old’s skillset that can occasionally work in the middle, and James’ strike came after Maresca made three half-time substitutions following a dire first half in which they failed to test Copenhagen goalkeeper Diant Ramaj.
Enzo Fernandez was one of those introduced and he gave the visitors a two-goal lead.
However, Copenhagen halved the deficit when a straightforward set-piece was headed in by Gabriel Pereira in the 80th minute, making next week’s second leg at Stamford Bridge somewhat less comfortable than it could have been.
History was also made here as Shim Mheuka became Chelsea’s youngest-ever starter in a major European competition at the age of 17 years and 137 days, beating the previous record set by Joel Kitamirike against Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2001.
Reece James drives in at the start of the second half with Chelsea's first shot on target
The 25-year-old Chelsea captain celebrates his second goal of an injury-hit season with glee
Enzo Fernandez roars in delight after finishing a fine move to double Chelsea's advantage
Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo likewise started, the latter perhaps an indication that he could be rested for Leicester this Sunday when a yellow card would see him suspended for their subsequent Premier League showdowns with Arsenal and Tottenham.
Yet Caicedo was one of three players removed at the break after a first half which did not trouble the thrill-o-meter in the slightest, and so Christopher Nkunku, Fernandez and Levi Colwill joined Marc Cucurella, who had been brought on earlier.
Cole Palmer toils but was unable to end his scoring drought which now extends to eight games
Gabriel Pereira put Chelsea on edge by pulling a goal back for Copenhagen with a bullet header
Just 55 seconds into the restart, Cucurella cut the ball back from the left wing as James ran on to it, driving a 25-yard shot into the bottom-left corner. Funny what can happen if you shoot.
Chelsea’s lead was nearly eradicated in the 50th minute when Copenhagen captain Viktor Claesson broke behind. He beat Robert Sanchez, but not the post, as the ball bounced back into the arms of Chelsea’s grateful cup goalkeeper.
Chelsea took their 2-0 lead when Fernandez finished Tyrique George’s set-up following some energetic pressing from Cucurella. However, Copenhagen made it 2-1 as Pereira headed home.
Match facts: C'hagen 1-2 Chelsea
Chelsea (3-2-4-1): Sanchez 6; Chalobah 6, Adarabioyo 6, Badiashile 6 (Colwill 45, 6); James 7, Caicedo 6.5 (Fernandez 45, 6.5); George 6.5, Palmer 6 (Sancho 72, 6), Dewsbury-Hall 6, Gusto 6 (Cucurella 25, 6.5); Mheuka 6 (Nkunku 45, 6.5).
Subs (not used): Jorgensen, Bergstrom, Neto, Acheampong, Amougou.
Manager: Enzo Maresca 6.5
Attendance: 35,859
Manager: Enzo Maresca 6.5
Attendance: 35,859