Chelsea secured a spot in the Europa Conference League group stage with a 3-2 aggregate win over Servette, despite losing 2-1 in the second leg in Geneva. Christopher Nkunku’s early penalty goal put Chelsea ahead, but Servette equalized through Jeremy Guillemenot before halftime. Enzo Crivelli’s header in the 72nd minute gave Servette the lead on the night, causing a late scare for Chelsea.
Chelsea’s young and changed side, featuring only three players from the previous win over Wolves, struggled to find rhythm. However, Nkunku’s penalty goal seemed to set them on course for a comfortable win. Servette’s equalizer against the run of play and Crivelli’s late header made for a tense finish.
Chelsea had chances to seal the win, but Nicolas Jackson’s late goal was ruled out for offside, and Cole Palmer hit the crossbar. Servette’s Timothy Cognat almost snatched a dramatic equalizer in added time, but Chelsea held on to advance to the group stage.
The win marks a relief for Chelsea, who made hard work of the tie despite their strong squad. The team’s inconsistency and struggles to find rhythm will be a concern for coach Enzo Maresca as they move forward in the competition.
