Chelsea secured their place in the Europa Conference League semi-finals, but they made it difficult for themselves at home against Legia Warsaw, suffering their first defeat in the competition.
The scoring began early, just ten minutes into the game, when Filip Jorgensen fouled Tomas Pekhart in the penalty area. The Legia Warsaw forward converted the penalty, placing it into the bottom right corner of the net.
As Chelsea trailed, Marc Cucurella stepped up to make a difference.
The Spanish defender, playing like a reborn Marcos Alonso, converted a pass from Jadon Sancho to level the score. He was close to scoring again shortly after, but was ruled offside.
The Legia Warsaw fans, already noticeable for taking off their shirts, drew even more attention in the second half when they lit flares to celebrate their team`s second goal.
Steve Kapuadi took advantage of further questionable defending from Chelsea to put his team ahead 2-1, igniting celebrations in the Shed End and frustrating Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea fans briefly celebrated when Tyrique George scored from a cross by Noni Madueke, but this goal was also disallowed for offside.
Chelsea will want to forget this performance quickly, but they have progressed to the semi-finals.
Player Ratings from SunSport`s Lloyd Canfield:
Filip Jorgensen – 1
Anxiety personified.
Jorgensen conceded a penalty within the first ten minutes, allowing Legia Warsaw to take an early lead and gain confidence at Stamford Bridge.
The Danish goalkeeper appeared to lack confidence, misjudged several crosses, and generally struggled throughout the match.
Despite his struggles, he is competent at passing the ball from the back.
Josh Acheampong – 4
Acheampong was dispossessed a few times and seemed uneasy during the game.
However, he made some crucial blocks and important tackles for his team.
As a young player with significant potential, this match will serve as a valuable learning experience.
Tosin Adarabioyo – 4
Adarabioyo has been a leading figure for Chelsea this season and has played a vital role in their strong performances in this competition.
However, tonight was not his best showing. He was caught out of position in the play that led to the penalty.
While not disastrous, conceding two goals makes it difficult to rate him above average.
Benoit Badiashile – 4
Badiashile likely hoped for a better performance in his 50th appearance for Chelsea.
He was positioned too far up the field for Legia Warsaw`s second goal, leaving the defensive line exposed when the Polish team scored their second and decisive goal.
Marc Cucurella – 8
Marc Cucurella is having a fantastic season and strengthened his case for Chelsea`s player of the season with another goal in what is becoming his most productive campaign yet.
Playing as a left-back one moment and a forward the next, he arrived in the box at the right time to convert Sancho`s cross for the equalizer. He also had a second goal disallowed due to offside.
Again, he was Chelsea`s best player on the field.
Reece James (C) – 5
Maresca continued to play Reece James in midfield, even after resting him completely for the draw against Ipswich.
Arguably, James is more effective at right-back, where he can utilize his attacking skills and physical strength to greater advantage.
He was not poor in midfield, but he didn`t dominate the game as he has in the past.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 6
Dewsbury-Hall maintained his decent form in this competition with another solid midfield performance.
He was composed in possession, took good care of the ball, and worked effectively to regain possession for his team on several occasions.
Jadon Sancho – 7
Sancho, aiming to prove his worth before the season`s end, returned to the right wing for Chelsea after his impressive goal against Ipswich from the left side.
He was crucial in Chelsea’s equalizing goal, outplaying his opponent and delivering a perfect square ball for Cucurella to score.
Sancho worked hard throughout the game, contributing well defensively too.
Cole Palmer – 3
If this match had occurred earlier in the season, Cole Palmer might have scored twice in the first five minutes…
The situation with Cole in 2025 is…
