Chelsea’s Conference League quarter-final campaign is off to a flying start after a 3-0 thrashing of Legia Warsaw in the first leg. The Blues’ young guns, Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong, stole the show with their impressive performances, earning praise from boss Enzo Maresca.
George, a 19-year-old winger, scored his first senior goal, tapping home a rebound from Reece James’ long-range strike. The England Under-19 international has been a regular feature in Chelsea’s European campaigns, despite never starting a Premier League match.
Maresca was thrilled with George’s performance, saying, “I’m happy first of all for the Chelsea academy because he is one of our boys. He was quite good in the first half, taking responsibility. He was probably better in the middle.”
However, it was Acheampong who caught Maresca’s eye, with the teenager impressing in a versatile role. “The one I fell in love with tonight is Josh Acheampong,” Maresca added. “He can be a fantastic player for this club. A good player can play in different positions and he showed that. The best thing for Josh is that he’s open – he wants to learn.”
The win sets up a seemingly straightforward second leg against either Djurgardens or Rapid Vienna in the semi-finals. A Conference League triumph would guarantee Chelsea a spot in next season’s Europa League, while a top-five finish in the Premier League could still secure a Champions League place.
Former Chelsea attacker Joe Cole praised George’s performance, saying, “What a moment for the young man. It’s beautiful to see when an academy player scores their first goal. He is direct, affects the games, he is a dribbler and every full-back’s nightmare as he goes at players and makes things happen.”
Chelsea’s next match is against Ipswich Town on Sunday, with the Blues looking to maintain their momentum. Maresca expects Cole Palmer to be available, despite the England forward’s early withdrawal in the Legia Warsaw match. “We planned for him and Tosin to come off on 45 minutes,” Maresca said. “Everything is fine.”
