Chelsea fans’ reaction to their players at full-time of the Conference League win over Copenhagen was a stark contrast to how they felt at half-time.
Chelsea’s dedicated away supporters were rewarded with a European victory as the Blues triumphed 2-1 over Copenhagen in the first leg of the Conference League Round of 16.
There’s significant pressure from fans on Chelsea to secure the win in this competition this season. Despite Enzo Maresca’s job being secure for now, this match was viewed as a must-win for the club. The manager fielded a mix of first-team regulars and emerging talents, including giving Shumaira Mheuka his first start up front.
However, the youngster struggled to make an impact before being substituted at half-time. It was after the break that Chelsea really came to life. Reece James and Enzo Fernandez were on target, with James standing out as the star player, putting the team in a strong position to progress to the next round.
Although Chelsea conceded a late goal from a set-piece, the fans were pleased with their team’s performance, showing their appreciation as the players walked off the pitch. Journalist Simon Johnson reported that the away fans gave a positive reception, with the players and staff receiving praise for securing their first away win since the victory over Astana in the last Conference League match.
Johnson noted: “Away fans giving the players and staff a good reception as they go off.”
The atmosphere was far more tense at half-time, though, with the score still locked at 0-0. At this point, Chelsea hadn’t managed a single shot on target, leaving the supporters frustrated with what they were witnessing in a game that was very much winnable. Kieran Gill observed: “Chelsea fans in the away end were calling on the players to get more up for this game as they walked into the tunnel next to them for HT.”
With the second leg just three days before a massive match against Arsenal, there was a strong desire to secure the tie early. Nonetheless, Chelsea have put themselves in a great position to advance to the quarter-finals.
