Chelsea take advantage with first-leg win over Servette.

Chelsea laboured to an unconvincing 2-0 win over Servette in the first leg of their Conference League play-off at Stamford Bridge,

second-half goals from Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke sufficient to give Enzo Maresca’s side the lead in the tie.

It was the Italian head coach’s second game in charge. But already signs of discontent were heard from home supporters. Who boo the team off at the end of a first half in which they failed to muster a serious attacking threat against the side currently fifth in the Swiss league table.

It took Nkunku’s 50th-minute penalty, won thanks to the game’s first genuinely incisive pass played by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, to finally break down Servette, who had coped defensively with relative ease until that point and might have taken the lead through winger Dereck Kutesa.

Madueke came off the bench to score Chelsea’s second and hand them a healthy lead ahead of the return leg in Geneva next Thursday.

Maresca made nine changes to the team that lost to Manchester City on Sunday with only Moises Caicedo, who captained the team for the first time, and Nkunku remaining.

That meant full debuts for six summer signings, amongst them striker Marc Guiu.

Who was inches from opening the scoring ufabet https://ufabet999.app in the second minute, rounding the goalkeeper from fellow full debutant Dewsbury-Hall’s through pass but failing to reach the ball before it squirmed from his reach behind the goal.

Servette carried their own threat and broke through Chelsea’s lines. When Kutesa play a one-two inside the box with Keigo Tsunemoto before streaking past Axel Disasi and striking a low effort. That was deflected away by goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.

Chelsea were relying heavily on their two wide forwards, Mykhailo Mudryk and Pedro Neto. But though both were frequently on the ball, neither player provided the delivery or penetration necessary to find a way in behind Servette.

There was more success. When Mudryk tried to cut inside. Guiu held the ball up well for him midway through the first half giving the Ukrainian room to shoot. But he dragg his shot tamely wide of the post.