Chelsea 1-0 Copenhagen, advance to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup

14/03/2025 David

In the second leg of the UEFA Europa League round of 16 in the 2024/25 season, Chelsea hosted Danish Superliga powerhouse Copenhagen. After 90 minutes of fierce competition, Chelsea narrowly defeated their opponents 1-0 thanks to a wonderful goal by Hall in the second half, and successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Europa League with a total score of 3-1.

Match review: key moments from start to finish

First half: Copenhagen dominate but fail to score

From the start, Copenhagen showed a strong intention to attack. In the 4th minute, they launched an attack from the right. El-Younoussi sent in a precise cross, and Acheampong leapt high to head the ball, but unfortunately it was too straight and the ball went over the crossbar, missing a great opportunity.

In the 12th minute, Copenhagen came back with a vengeance. Veskaas received a cross from a teammate in the penalty area and took a decisive shot, but was blocked by the Chelsea defender in time. Then, he took the ball again and crossed it, finding Merlin at the back point, who headed the ball but missed the goal. Copenhagen clearly dominated the opening period.

In the 42nd minute, Chelsea finally organized a decent attack. Neto took the ball past the penalty area, but was brought down from behind by Copenhagen defender Diks. The Chelsea players surrounded the referee to demand a penalty kick, but the referee insisted that there was no foul and the game continued. This controversial ruling made the Blues players look a little frustrated.

At the end of the half, Chelsea surprisingly did not have a single shot on goal and was temporarily tied 0-0 with Copenhagen.

Chelsea 1-0 Copenhagen, aggregate score 3-1, advance to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup

Second half: Hall steps up to break the deadlock

Chelsea gradually regained their form after the start of the second half. The situation on the field changed in the 54th minute. Copenhagen made a mistake passing the ball back, and the ball landed at Hall’s feet after several scrambles for possession. Hall took the ball near the left arc, then changed direction several times to shake off three defenders, forced his way into the penalty area, and then blasted the ball with his left foot. Chelsea took the lead 1-0 and the aggregate score was extended to 3-1!

This goal not only gave Chelsea the lead, but also completely ignited the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. Hall’s individual performance instilled a strong sense of confidence in the Blues and gave the team a psychological advantage in the game.

The closing stages: Chelsea nearly extended their lead

In the 62nd minute, Neto launched a solo break on the right, cut in to the front of the penalty area, and took a direct shot from a long range, but the angle was too straight and was safely collected by Copenhagen goalkeeper Lamaj. In the 66th minute, Chelsea once again created a threat through a counterattack. Palmer received the ball on the right, took the ball inside, and curled it into the far corner from the top of the penalty area. Unfortunately, the ball missed the post slightly and failed to further expand the scoring advantage.

Despite Copenhagen’s attempts to fight back in the closing stages, Chelsea’s defense held firm and did not give their opponents too many opportunities. In the end, with the referee blowing the final whistle, Chelsea defeated Copenhagen 1-0 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup.

Key player performance analysis

Hall: the hero who decided the game

The highlight of the game was undoubtedly Hall’s goal. His breakthrough and shot from the left showed great skill and composure. This goal was not only a technical masterpiece, but also the key to Chelsea breaking the deadlock at a critical moment. Hall’s performance proved his importance to the team and contributed greatly to the team’s advancement.

Neto: an active factor in the front line

Although he failed to score, Neto provided plenty of support for Chelsea’s attack with his breakthroughs and threatening crosses from the wings. His speed and technique often caused chaos in Copenhagen’s defense, and he was an important part of the team’s attack.

Copenhagen: Honorable effort despite defeat

Despite failing to advance, Copenhagen showed tenacious fighting spirit and excellent tactical execution in the match. Especially in the first half, their attacks repeatedly threatened Chelsea’s goal, and if it weren’t for their poor shooting, they might have taken the lead first. However, the mistakes they made in the second half cost them, and this became the turning point of the game.

Lineups of both teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Jorgensen (No. 12)
Defenders: Adarabioyo (No. 4), Badiali (No. 5), Achampong (No. 34), Chaloba (No. 23)
Midfielders: Nzonzi (No. 8), Kessé (No. 25)
Forwards: Hall (22), George (32), Sancho (19)
Striker: Neto (7)

Copenhagen (5-4-1)

Goalkeeper: Ramaï (41)
Defenders: Meiring (24), Hadziadis (6), Pereira (5), Dicks (2), Froholt (17)
Midfielders: Klem (36), Vescas (13), El Younoussi (10), Claesson (7)
Forwards: Ashuri (No. 30)

Summary: Chelsea moves on to the next stage

This match not only showed Chelsea’s strength, but also revealed some problems. Despite a lackluster first half, the team quickly adjusted in the second half and broke the deadlock thanks to the individual ability of Hall. This victory not only helped Chelsea advance to the quarterfinals of the Europa League, but also instilled more confidence in the team.

Next, Chelsea will face stronger opponents in the quarter-finals. They need to further improve their performance in both attack and defense to go further in this competition. For Copenhagen, although they were unfortunately eliminated, the fighting spirit they showed in the game is worthy of respect. I hope both teams will have even better performances in future competitions!