Christian Pulisic secured a 2-0 lead for Chelsea in their round-of-16 first leg against Lille at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
Two defeats in our last 32 in all comps, we keep at it. ✊ pic.twitter.com/Z3WHjbAHmv
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 22, 2022
Kai Havertz – starting up front in place of benched Romelu Lukaku — gave Chelsea an early lead within the first 10 minutes before U.S. men’s national team forward Pulisic doubled the score after the hour mark.
“We knew it was a difficult game. They played very good football. The first half was difficult for us. It’s halftime now, and we have to win there as well,” Havertz said after the game.
“We have a lot of good strikers, so it’s always good to change, to not make it easy for the opponent. We didn’t play our best football, it was hard, but the win is the most important thing, and it’s another competition on Sunday [against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final].
Clinical! ?
? 2-0 ⚪️ [68’] #CheLil pic.twitter.com/nl0A162oac
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 22, 2022
“We have a chance to win another trophy on Sunday, we hope to win this game.”
It was a dominant start for Chelsea and Thomas Tuchel’s side managed to capitalise on their early pressure through Havertz after just eight minutes.
Chelsea won a corner and Hakim Ziyech sent the ball into the box. Havertz was there to head it into the net after missing two early chances.
Pulisic doubled their lead on 63 minutes when N’Golo Kante won the ball in the middle of the field and ran at the Lille defence.
Kante will win you the ball. ? #UCL pic.twitter.com/N5JUHTuAIT
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 22, 2022
He played the ball off to Pulisic on the edge of the box and the USMNT star struck it past Leo Jardim in the Lille goal.
Courtesy: ESPN
