Chelsea earned a hard-fought 2-1 win over Lille on Wednesday in France, taking their first three points of the UEFA Champions League campaign.
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Tammy Abraham and Willian scored for the Blues, while Fikayo Tomori had a strong day at the back and also produced an assist.
Willian’s goal came on his 300th Chelsea appearance.
Victor Osimhen scored Lille’s goal, the Ligue 1 side still without a point following a 3-0 loss to Ajax in the group stage opener.
Three things we learned
1. Tomori is the true story: The Calgary-born defender was everywhere for Chelsea, and he has to be getting a phone call from Gareth Southgate at some point soon. His assist on the goal was obviously important, but he held sway over the game with five tackles and 13 duels won.
2. Willian delivers the win: You know how sometimes a ball is hit so hard it appears to shrink in size? That’s the sort of venom-dripping volley Willian delivered for the win.
Mason Mount didn’t have his best day, but substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi cued up this goal for Willian as a pair of wingers delivered the difference.
3. Pulisic, Barkley left home: Frank Lampard had a laugh about Ross Barkley’s off-field issue with the cops over the weekend, but left the Englishman behind for the trip to France. Christian Pulisic was also out of the 18 after admitting to our own Joe Prince-Wright that he wasn’t sure what he needed to do to get into the Starting XI. Not a good time right now for the American star.
Man of the Match: Tomori
Either Abraham or Mason Mount could’ve scored the opener, beating the line to Fikayo Tomori’s incisive cross.
But set pieces can really sting, and Jonathan Bamba’s corner kick was met by a powerful Osimhen header to make it 1-1.
The Blues controlled the proceedings in France, but needed Willian’s vicious late volley to deliver the three points.