Kai Havertz’s header within the first 8 mins opened the scoring for Chelsea on Tuesday, prior to Christian Pulisic wrapped up the win when he completed off a spoil by way of N’Golo Kante halfway thru the second one 1/2.
The victory offers Chelsea a wholesome benefit forward of the second one leg at Lille on March 16.
“I feel we did not play our best possible soccer, it was once exhausting,” Havertz advised BT Recreation. “Shall we no longer get, I feel, the aggression at the pitch that we used to have in the previous couple of weeks.”
Earlier than his target, Havertz had two possibilities to provide Chelsea an early lead, first as he attempted to transform a move from César Azpilicueta, however when he had a shot stored by way of Lille goalkeeper Léo Jardim.
Lille, the protecting champion in France’s Ligue Un however lately 11th within the desk, settled into the sport after Havertz’s target, however failed to supply a transparent goal-scoring likelihood within the first 1/2.
Chelsea persevered to keep watch over the sport in the second one 1/2. The Blues doubled their lead simply after the hour mark, when Kante drove the ball against Lille’s field and handed to Pulisic, who chipped the ball into the again of the web.
Having gained the Membership International Cup previous this month, Chelsea now has a possibility to win extra silverware this weekend in opposition to Liverpool within the EFL Cup ultimate.
In Tuesday’s different recreation, Villarreal and Juventus drew 1-1 following Dani Parejo’s second-half equalizer for the Spanish facet. That was once after Dusan Vlahovic, making his Champions League debut, had scored simply 33 seconds into the fit to provide Juventus the lead. The groups additionally meet once more on March 16 to resolve who progresses to the quarterfinals.
