AGS NEWS – Chelsea secured their first win under new coach Enzo Maresca, defeating Servette 2-0 in the Conference League play-off round first leg on Thursday.

After a tough first half, Christopher Nkunku broke the deadlock with a 50th-minute penalty. Noni Madueke added a second goal, bringing Chelsea closer to the group stage.

Despite a late scare when Tiemoko Ouattara’s deflected strike hit the crossbar, Chelsea held on for the victory.

This win was a relief for Chelsea, especially after their 2-0 loss to Manchester City in Maresca’s debut.

ALSO READ: Chelsea give up on Osimhen chase

Chelsea, returning to European competition after finishing sixth in the Premier League last season, made nine changes for this match.

Coach Maresca emphasized the importance of the win, noting the team’s progress in game management.

There was concern for Chelsea as substitute Cole Palmer appeared to suffer a leg injury at full-time, though Maresca was hopeful it wasn’t serious.

In other matches, Panathinaikos lost 2-1 to 10-man Lens, Fiorentina drew 3-3 with Puskas Akademia, St Patrick’s drew 0-0 with Istanbul Basaksehir, Ajax beat Jagiellonia 4-1, and Besiktas drew 3-3 with Lugano. Scottish club Hearts fell 1-0 to Viktoria Plzen.