A brilliant second half performance saw Chelsea continue their perfect record in the UEFA Conference League, beating Legia Warszawa 3–0 in the first leg of the quarterfinals.
Chelsea dominated possession in the first half, but once again struggled to break down a low defensive block, failing to generate clear chances to find a breakthrough. The Blues didn't score in the first half for a seventh straight game in all competitions.
The script changed in the second half as the Blues struck quickly out of the tunnel. Reece James fired a shot from outside the box that goalkeeper Kacper Tobiasz mishandled, leaving the rebound in perfect position for 19-year-old Tyrique George to pounce and score his first professional goal.
In the 57th minute, another Tobiasz mistake led to Chelsea catching the defense out of position. Jadon Sancho found an open Noni Madueke with the England international calmly scoring his first goal since January to double Chelsea's lead.
Christopher Nkunku missed a penalty in the 73rd minute, but Sancho and Madueke linked up again one minute later to score Chelsea's third.
The gap in quality of both teams was on full display in the second half, as Chelsea overpowered the hosts. The Blues will be able to rotate their squad in the home return leg next week, with the lopsided result allowing them to focus on the race for the Champions League spots in the Premier League.
Player ratings from Chelsea's win below.
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Chelsea Player Ratings vs. Legia Warszawa (4-2-3-1)
Ratings Provided by FotMob
Player of the Match: Noni Madueke
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Legia Warszawa 0-3 Chelsea: Player Ratings as Blues Remain Perfect in Conference League.
