Chelsea are set to win 2-1 in the second leg of their Conference League last 16 tie against Copenhagen, with superb goals from Reece James and Enzo Fernandes breaking a long, dull spell in Denmark.
After a first half in which a reshuffled Chelsea side largely failed to pose a threat to the home side, Enzo Maresca decided to bring on a number of his key Premier League starters and that immediately changed the game, with James opening the scoring from long range just 56 seconds after the break.
Fernandes scored twice midway through the second half from 18-year-old Tyriq George to put a dismal first half behind him, although it left Maresca wondering about his ambitions to finish in the top four of the domestic league.
They had themselves to blame for not coming onto the pitch with a bigger advantage, allowing defender Gabriel Pereira to fire a powerful header past Robert Sanchez from a free-kick in the 79th minute to give the Danish champions motivation ahead of next Thursday's return leg at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea lost Malo Gusto, who came on in an unfamiliar role at left-back, to injury in the 23rd minute when the defender appeared to catch his foot in the ground while blocking a cross and limped off.
The visitors managed just one shot on target in the first half, a risky volley from Cole Palmer, but the ball went wide, while Copenhagen did not pose a significant threat despite the raucous support of their fans.
It was one of the most frustrating halves Maresca's side have endured, even though they have been in poor form since December, struggling to find a pass that would allow their wingers George and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to get past a disciplined Copenhagen defence that operated with the rigour Chelsea demand.
The Blues manager responded by bringing on Christopher Nkunku, Levi Colville and Fernandes and, in a more familiar line-up, they took the lead less than a minute into the second half.
Marc Cucurella confidently won the ball on the left sideline and broke through for Copenhagen. He looked up to see James moving down the centre of the pitch into space and when the ball came in front of him he fired a cool, precise shot into the top corner past goalkeeper Diantha Ramaja.
Copenhagen then hit the post, threatening an immediate response as Viktor Claesson's shot hit the inside of the post and landed in the grateful arms of Sanchez.
Palmer's shot was just wide of the target and his goalless run stretched to eight games, but Chelsea's second goal was not long in coming.
The goal came in the 65th minute as George registered his fourth assist of the season and second in two games, with excellent work from Cucurella and Nkunku setting up Fernandes to fire into the corner of Ramay's net.
Chelsea looked to be on course for the quarter-finals but then Pereira burst into the box unmarked and headed home a goal, giving the hosts hope ahead of the return leg.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
