Chelsea 2-0 Servette: Nkunku and Madueke secure win for Blues

There was no smile from Enzo Maresca when Christopher Nkunku scored the first official goal of his Chelsea era, not even when he grabbed a blue balloon out of his sock and blew it up in celebration.

Neither was there one when Noni Madueke blasted the ball into the top-right corner to leave Chelsea in charge of this Conference League play-off.

There were only looks that could kill because Chelsea’s head coach has higher standards than the football he witnessed against Servette, the visitors who are fifth in the Swiss Super League.

After a heavy week — one in which the Italian has had to field questions about his treatment of players banished from first-team training, including Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell — Maresca did not get the light relief he was searching for.

Chelsea knew this was a match they ought to win. Their starting line-up was assembled for close to £500million and their bench cost a combined £375m.

They won eventually, taking them halfway to ensuring European football for the season ahead of next week’s second leg, but Maresca wants more from this group.

Before the game, Stamford Bridge was introduced to its newest son, the 36th signing of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital era. Joao Felix walked out to a standing ovation after returning to Chelsea, this time as a £44.5million signing from Atletico Madrid rather than a loan.

It is his arrival, and that of Pedro Neto for £54m, which has led to Sterling being told to sling his hook. Technically, he was at Stamford Bridge, his name still listed next to No 7 on a matchday programme sent to print before his banishment was revealed.

Introduced to the crowd as ‘your new No 7’, Neto started for the first time in Chelsea blue. So much for the club being petrified of the Premier League’s financial rules, as was rumoured heading into the summer transfer window. They have not shied from bringing in new bodies and two of their signings combined to create a first chance inside 60 seconds.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall drove forward before picking a pass in behind for Marc Guiu, but Servette goalkeeper Jeremy Frick rushed out to smother it.

Chelsea continued to search for the breakthrough, Neto’s pace on the right-hand side positively electric as he toyed with full back Bradley Mazikou.

In the 15th minute, however, there was a warning as Dereck Kutesa sidestepped Axel Disasi before forcing a fingertip save out of Blues keeper Filip Jorgensen, sparking a series of corners.

Soon, Chelsea’s supporters were worried. Their team was making mistakes. We saw Tosin Adarabioyo try to clear the ball, only to boot it against Disasi to concede a throw-in. We saw Benoit Badiashile play a blind pass back to Jorgensen, which could have been an own goal.

In the 28th minute, Mykhailo Mudryk found himself through after Guiu occupied his Servette marker David Douline. But Mudryk dragged his shot wide when he had the entire goal to aim at, one of several times he frustrated fans here. Next it was Neto’s turn as he came inside from the right, launching a left-footed rocket that landed in Frick’s arms.

Inside Stamford Bridge, it was only Servette supporters that you could hear, around 100 of them topless and jumping in unison at the away end.

It was telling that, before half-time, Maresca sent his entire substitutes’ bench to warm up down the touchline. He was exasperated, especially with Mudryk, who had been Chelsea’s chief culprit in losing possession cheaply.

As the half-time whistle was blown, there were boos. The Chelsea faithful had not liked what they had seen.

In the 49th minute, Chelsea finally roused a cheer out of their support as Dewsbury-Hall’s ball in behind was perfectly weighted for Christopher Nkunku, who was bundled over by Flick in the box.

He stepped up to take the penalty himself, burying it into the bottom right corner.

Guiu seemed certain to add another goal when he forced Flick into a mistake by pressing high. Blocking his clearance, the ball spun towards the six-yard box, with Servette’s goalkeeper scrambling to cover the gaping goal.

What followed were three shots from Guiu and somehow none of them went in.

His first was scuffed, allowing Flick to save. His second was sent into the goalkeeper. His third was blocked by defender Yoan Severin.

With that, Maresca brought on Madueke, Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer, who went up front.

And it worked a treat as, in the 76th minute, Fernandez played a ball in behind for Madueke, who blasted beyond Flick.

It left Chelsea in a powerful position ahead of flying to Geneva for next week’s second leg, where only an almighty upset would leave them without European football this season.