Christopher Nkunku’s penalty secured Enzo Maresca his first victory as Chelsea boss, as the Blues earned a 2-0 win against Servette in their UEFA Conference League play-off first leg.
The much-changed Chelsea side initially struggled to break down their Swiss opponents, but the game turned in their favor early in the second half.
Nkunku, one of just two players retained from the team that lost 2-0 to Manchester City in the Premier League, was brought down by Servette goalkeeper Jeremy Frick in the penalty area.
The French forward calmly converted the resulting penalty, marking the first goal of the Maresca era at Chelsea. He celebrated the moment in style, inflating a blue balloon in front of the jubilant away fans.
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Chelsea had a chance to double their lead shortly after, when 18-year-old Marc Guiu pressured Frick into an error. However, the young Spanish forward lost his composure and Frick recovered to make the save.
Substitute Noni Madueke eventually made it 2-0 in the 72nd minute with a powerful finish from a tight angle inside the box, giving Chelsea a comfortable advantage heading into the second leg.
With the return fixture set for August 29 in Geneva, Chelsea will be confident of advancing to the group stage of European football’s third-tier competition.
