A win is a win and, after a difficult week, that is exactly what Chelsea and Enzo Maresca needed against Servette.
It was hardly a vintage performance and not one that will live long in memory, but the Italian is officially up and running at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea got the job done after a lacklustre first-half, which finished 0-0 and with a smattering of boos from some of the home fans.
In the second-half, they clicked into gear and a Christopher Nkunku penalty and a goal from Noni Madueke were enough to secure a 2-0 win in the first leg of this UEFA Conference League play-off tie.
Neto catches the eye on full debut
There was not much for Chelsea fans to cheer about in the first-half here, but Pedro Neto was a rare bright spark.
The winger was handed his full debut on the right side, wearing the No7 shirt that had been taken off Raheem Sterling.
Neto looked sharp in patches, beating his opposite number a few times and causing problems by cutting onto his left foot. It will take time for the Portugal international to get up to speed in new surroundings, but this was a promising start.
The challenge for him will be nailing down a spot in a congested part of the field, with Madueke putting in a statement performance off the bench.
A fine team goal. 🔥@NoniMadueke_ ✨#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/sMKyRQDzrX
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 22, 2024
Miss spoils Guiu’s strong performance
Marc Guiu was one of Chelsea’s standout performers in pre-season and his reward was a start against Servette tonight.
The 18-year-old put in a solid performance, leading the line well and linking the play nicely by acting as a focal point.
His highlight came around the half-hour mark, when Guiu held off the defender and laid in Mykhailo Mudryk to race through on goal. The Ukrainian could sadly only fire wide, otherwise it would have been a lovely goal in an otherwise drab half.
Guiu’s big moment came after the break, when he chased down the Servette goalkeeper as he tried to clear the ball. A sharp block meant the goal was gaping, but Guiu had three efforts saved or blocked and his big moment was gone as quickly as it came.
Chelsea’s bench gets the job done
Heading to Switzerland with a two-goal cushion, the Blues will be confident of making it to the group stage of the Conference League.
At 1-0, next week’s game would have had the potential to be a tricky tie - but Maresca should now be confident that the job is done.
The Italian had his defence to thank for putting the game to bed here, with Madueke scoring a good goal late on.
It was made by fellow substitute Enzo Fernandez, who dinked a great ball over the top for the winger to run onto.
