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Chelsea have taken the advantage in their Champions League tie with reigning French champions Lille with a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
The Londoners were rewarded for their fast start when Kai Havertz got the hosts off to a flyer with a headed goal in the eighth minute. The German rose to meet Hakim Ziyech’s corner amid surprisingly little resistance from the Lille defence.
The two sides went to the halftime break with the London club still leading by the solitary goal.
The result was sealed in the 63rd minute after some great work by N’Golo Kante was finished off by Christian Pulisic.
Kante, after receiving a pass in his own half, easily outpaced his marker and ran unencumbered through the French side’s defence before laying on a perfectly weighted ball for the American, who took a few quick touches then produced a calm finish, lifting the ball past Leo Jardim as he fell.
Chelsea take a very handy advantage with them for the second leg, but remember, there is no more away goals rule in the Champions League.
At the Estadio de la Cerámica, hosts Villarreal played out a 1-1 draw with Italian giants Juventus.
It was a dream start for the visitors and their big money signing Dusan Vlahovic, with the Serbian marking his Champions League debut with a goal in the opening minute of play.
Juve’s No.7 got himself in between two Villarreal defenders and expertly chested a long ball forward, before unleashing a sumptuous finish across the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner.
The visitors held their lead until the 66th minute, when they conceded in somewhat comical fashion.
Etienne Capoue held possession about ten metres from the edge of Juve’s area and had enough time to make himself a warm cup of tea, with absolutely no pressure applied from The Old Lady’s midfield.
He then found Dani Parejo who was inexplicably unmarked near the penalty spot, with the Spaniard finishing off one of the easiest chances you’re likely to see in the Champions League.
Just six minutes later, controversy arose when Adrien Rabiot’s horror challenge on Samuel Chukwueze was initially only met with a yellow card by the on-field referee, then somehow not even reviewed upstairs by the presiding Video Assistant Referee.
Have a look for yourself.
If that’s not a send-off, then what is?
“It was huge to score on my debut; it was very emotional,” Dusan Vlahovic told UEFA.com.
“However, I cannot be 100 per cent satisfied because we have not won (the) game. There are some regrets but we must just focus on the next game.”
The return legs for both fixtures will be played on March 17.
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