UECL: Chelsea Dominates Legia Warsaw 3-0 in Conference League Quarter-Final First Leg

Chelsea defeats Legia Warsaw 3-0 in the UEFA Conference League quarter-final first leg, with Noni Madueke scoring a brace.

Chelsea dominated their UEFA Conference League quarter-final tie against Legia Warsaw, winning the first leg 3-0 at the Marshall Jozef Pilsudski Legia Warsaw Stadium. With an impressive squad and a strong record in the competition, Chelsea was the heavy favorite to advance.

Despite being the underdogs, Legia Warsaw proved to be a tough opponent, especially in the first 45 minutes. They managed to create more shots than Chelsea before the half-hour mark, with Luquinhas and Ryoya Morishita firing off-target, while Christopher Nkunku had a chance at the other end.

As the game approached half-time, Chelsea began to gain more momentum in the final third. Kacper Tobiasz, Legia's goalkeeper, was called into action, pushing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's curling effort past the post. Christopher Nkunku also went close with a header, while Dewsbury-Hall wasted a great opportunity just before halftime, nodding the ball wide when unmarked in the box.

After the break, Chelsea came out strong, and within five minutes, they took the lead. Reece James' shot was saved by Tobiasz, but Tyrique George was quick to react, tapping home the rebound for his first-ever Chelsea goal. This gave Chelsea a 1-0 lead, and they continued to press their advantage.

The visitors continued to set the tempo, and before long, they doubled their lead when Noni Madueke stroked home from close range. Jadon Sancho was next to try his luck, forcing Tobiasz into another stop. Dewsbury-Hall will have been disappointed not to come away with a goal after firing another effort over the crossbar midway through the second half.

Nkunku saw another effort saved by Legia’s increasingly busy shot-stopper, and he was subsequently denied a goal once more when his penalty was saved after Dewsbury-Hall was felled by Patryk Kun in the area. However, Enzo Maresca’s men didn’t have to wait long for another goal, as Madueke was on hand to sweep Sancho’s low cross over the line, securing a brace for himself.

Filip Jorgensen needed to be alert to keep out Kun’s late strike, but overall, it was a comfortable win for Chelsea, who will feel they are well on their way to qualification for the semi-finals. Legia, meanwhile, will feel they did not do themselves justice in their first European quarter-final for 29 years, and they have it all to do at Stamford Bridge next week.