Ecstatic Legia Warsaw supporters celebrated in the away section at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, showcasing their enthusiasm as their team shocked Chelsea with a 2-1 victory, highlighting the home side’s lack of intensity in the second leg of the Conference League tie.
The London club progressed to the semi-finals of the third-tier European competition with a 4-2 aggregate score, having secured a 3-0 win in Poland. However, Chelsea captain Reece James acknowledged that they fell well short of their potential in the return leg.
With only about 1,000 tickets set aside for Legia’s fans due to security concerns, the majority removed their shirts when Tomas Pekhart converted a penalty to put them ahead in the 10th minute.
Marc Cucurella equalised before half-time, but Steve Kapuadi restored the visitors’ lead in the 53rd minute, causing the away section to erupt in a frenzy of bare torsos and swirling red smoke.
“Perhaps we didn’t give the competition the respect it deserves today. But that’s football. If you don’t prepare properly, you’ll pay the price,” said James.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca made seven changes to the starting XI that drew 2-2 with Ipswich in the Premier League on Sunday, suggesting that their comfortable lead from the first match may have contributed to their uninspired performance.
“After the first leg, we probably tried to manage the result a bit, rotate the squad, and avoid injuries, especially with an important match coming up on Sunday,” he commented.
This weekend, Chelsea will face Fulham in the league before travelling to Sweden for the first leg of their semi-final against Djurgarden on May 1st.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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