Madueke Strikes Twice as Chelsea Dominates Legia in Conference League Quarter-Final

Chelsea asserted their dominance in the UEFA Conference League quarter-final as they triumphed 3-0 in the first leg against Legia Warsaw at Marshall Jozef Pilsudski Stadium.

The Blues entered the fixture as overwhelming favourites, having won all eight of their encounters in this year’s tournament, backed by one of the most valuable squads in global football.

Despite Chelsea’s reputation, Legia proved to be a tough nut to crack, boasting the highest number of clean sheets in the tournament with five this season. They made it challenging for Chelsea in the first half.

In fact, before the 30-minute mark, Legia had managed more shots than their illustrious counterparts, with Luquinhas and Ryoya Morishita missing the target, similar to Christopher Nkunku’s effort for Chelsea.

As the first half progressed, Chelsea began to find their rhythm. Kacper Tobiasz was the first goalkeeper forced into action, saving Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s curling shot which went just past the post, while Nkunku came close with a header.

However, Dewsbury-Hall squandered a brilliant chance right before the break, heading wide from an unmarked position in the box as he struggled to generate the necessary power or direction.

After the interval, Chelsea came out firing, and within five minutes, they were two goals up.

Before Dewsbury-Hall missed another header, Reece James’ attempt was parried by Tobiasz, but Tyrique George was on hand to tap in the rebound, marking his first-ever goal for Chelsea.

Building on their momentum, they extended their lead when Noni Madueke finished from close range.

Jadon Sancho was the next to test Tobiasz, forcing another save.

Dewsbury-Hall was left frustrated as he sent yet another shot over the bar midway through the second half.

Nkunku too saw another attempt foiled by Legia’s increasingly busy goalkeeper, and he had his penalty saved after Dewsbury-Hall was brought down by Patryk Kun in the area.

However, Chelsea didn’t have to wait long for another goal, as Madueke was there to finish off Sancho’s low cross.

Filip Jorgensen had to be alert to deny Kun’s late attempt, but overall, it was a straightforward outing for Chelsea, who are well poised for a place in the semi-finals.

In contrast, Legia will feel disappointed with their performance in what was their first European quarter-final in 29 years. They face a daunting task at Stamford Bridge next week.

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