Chelsea confirmed their place in the UEFA Europa Conference League final after a composed 1-0 second-leg win over Djurgården at Stamford Bridge sealed a 5-1 aggregate victory.
Following a commanding 4-1 success in Sweden last week, Enzo Maresca’s side had already placed one foot in the final. The comfortable cushion allowed the Blues boss to shuffle his pack, handing a first senior start to 16-year-old Reggie Walsh as part of a rotated line-up.
Djurgården, who arrived in west London off the back of an indifferent run in the Swedish top flight, required something bordering on the miraculous to overturn the deficit. But the gulf in class was evident from the outset.
Chelsea dominated possession in familiar fashion, albeit without carving out many clear-cut chances early on. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall tested visiting goalkeeper Jacob Rinne with a low drive, while Tyrique George also saw an effort parried. The breakthrough came midway through the first half, when Dewsbury-Hall latched onto a loose ball and fired in a pinpoint finish off the inside of the post to all but end the tie as a contest.
Djurgården did manage to produce a response after the break, showing greater intent. Tobias Gulliksen’s curling shot skimmed just wide, and Daniel Stensson forced Filip Jörgensen into a sharp save with a powerful effort. However, Chelsea remained largely untroubled, with their aggregate lead never in doubt.
The Blues have now won five matches in a row across all competitions and will travel to Wrocław for the final later this month with confidence. They will meet Real Betis, who edged past Fiorentina in extra time in the other semi-final.
For Djurgården, the European adventure ends here, but the Swedish side can take pride in their campaign, having reached the last four against the odds. Their focus now returns to domestic matters, where they already face an uphill battle to close the gap at the top of the Allsvenskan.
