Chelsea secured a narrow 2-1 victory over Copenhagen in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League last-16 tie on Thursday, taking a vital step towards the quarter-finals. Elsewhere, Panathinaikos and Fiorentina delivered a five-goal spectacle, while Molde and Real Betis also featured in a night of high drama across Europe.
Chelsea captain Reece James broke the deadlock just one minute into the second half, rolling a low shot past the Copenhagen keeper after latching onto Marc Cucurella’s deep cut-back. The Blues doubled their lead in the 65th minute when half-time substitute Enzo Fernández fired home emphatically, thanks to teenager Tyrique George’s superb assist. “It was a tough game, but we did just enough,” said Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca post-match.
Copenhagen fought back late, with Gabriel Pereira heading in from a set-piece in the 79th minute, leaving the tie delicately poised. Earlier, the hosts nearly equalized when Viktor Claesson’s effort struck the post and rebounded into goalkeeper Robert Sánchez’s arms.
In Greece, Panathinaikos edged Fiorentina 3-2 in a rollercoaster clash. Karol Świderski and Nemanja Maksimović put the hosts 2-0 up within 19 minutes, only for Lucas Beltrán and Nicolò Fagioli to level the score by the 23rd minute. Tete’s sweeping 55th-minute strike restored Panathinaikos’ lead, giving them a slender advantage heading into the second leg.
Meanwhile, Molde clinched a 3-2 home win over Legia Warsaw. Eirik Hestad, Kristian Eriksen, and Fredrik Gulbrandsen—set up by Emil Breivik’s fine through ball—built a commanding lead before half-time. Legia mounted a late comeback with Kacper Chodyna and Luquinhas scoring in quick succession, but Molde held firm.
In Spain, Real Betis were frustrated by a 2-2 draw against Vitória Guimarães. Cédric Bakambu opened the scoring in the 48th minute, but João Saraiva equalized almost instantly. Isco’s 75th-minute strike seemed to secure the win, only for Nélson Oliveira to salvage a point for the Portuguese side in the dying moments.
Thursday’s action sets the stage for intriguing return legs, with Rapid Vienna and Lugano also in action later, facing Borac Banja Luka and Celje respectively.