Tyrique George opened his senior account with a well-taken goal before substitute Noni Madueke struck twice to hand Chelsea a commanding 3-0 first-leg win over Legia Warsaw in their UEFA Conference League quarter-final tie.
George, a product of Chelsea’s academy since the age of eight, broke the deadlock just four minutes after the interval, finishing from close range following a frustrating first half in which the Blues dominated possession but lacked cutting edge in the final third.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino made a key change at half-time, bringing on Madueke for Cole Palmer, and the winger quickly made his presence felt. He doubled Chelsea’s lead with a clinical low strike into the bottom-right corner, capping a much sharper and more aggressive second-half performance from the visitors, who looked dangerous every time they surged forward.
Despite Chelsea’s overall dominance, Christopher Nkunku’s struggles in front of goal continued. The French forward failed to convert from the penalty spot, seeing his effort saved by Legia keeper Kacper Tobiasz, extending his poor run to just one goal in his last 12 appearances.
Fortunately for Chelsea, Madueke ensured that missed opportunity didn’t prove costly, scoring again just 25 seconds later. The winger finished off a swift move with a simple tap-in from Jadon Sancho’s precise square ball, sealing a convincing victory and giving Chelsea a strong advantage heading into the return leg at Stamford Bridge on April 17.
