Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Dom Smith

Enzo Maresca selection decisions pay off as Chelsea pressure eases with Legia Warsaw win

Pointing the way: Enzo Maresca led Chelsea to a 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw in their Conference League quarter-final first-leg clash in Poland - (Rafal Oleksiewicz/PA Wire)

Criticism landed at Enzo Maresca’s door for some of his selection decisions in the goalless draw with Brentford on Sunday, but the Chelsea manager’s faith in teenagers Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong and choice of substitutes paid off in Warsaw. The Blues have more than one foot in the Conference League semi-finals already.

Cole Palmer was back for Chelsea yet ineffectual in the first half. Replaced at half-time in favour of Noni Madueke, that allowed George to move centrally and then to score his first senior goal just four minutes later. Either side of a penalty missed by the confidence-shorn Christopher Nkunku, Madueke netted goals two and three.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.