Chelsea advanced to the UEFA Conference League final after securing a 1-0 win against Swedish side Djurgarden at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night. With that result, the Premier League club wrapped up the semi-final tie 5-1 on aggregate.
The only goal of the match came in the 38th minute, when midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall finished a well-worked move to put the game beyond the visitors. Teenager Tyrique George spotted Dewsbury-Hall’s run and slipped a sharp ball through the middle.
The 25-year-old glided past two defenders and calmly slotted the ball into the net off the inside of the post.
The goal capped off a dominant first half for Chelsea, who looked comfortable from the start. Djurgarden, backed by over 6,000 traveling supporters, struggled to create chances and spent most of the game chasing the ball.
The only real threat from the Swedish team came in the second half, when Daniel Stensson let fly from distance, forcing Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen into a smart save.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca made several changes to his starting eleven, keeping only Marc Cucurella from the side that defeated Liverpool in the Premier League.
With an important league match against Newcastle looming on Sunday, Maresca chose to rotate his squad, giving 16-year-old Reggie Walsh his first start in European competition. The young midfielder had made his debut a week earlier in the first leg in Stockholm.
Chelsea’s win puts them in the final in Wroclaw on May 28, where they will face either Fiorentina or Real Betis. A win there would make Chelsea the first club to win all three of UEFA’s current major competitions—the Champions League, Europa League, and now the Conference League.
The Blues have not lifted a major trophy since their Champions League win in 2021. However, this victory gives them a strong shot at ending that drought and could mark the first silverware under the club’s current ownership, led by Todd Boehly’s consortium.
Despite some criticism over his tactical approach, Maresca has Chelsea in a promising position both in Europe and domestically. Currently sitting fifth in the Premier League, they remain in contention for a Champions League spot through league placement.
