Chelsea’s season-long inconsistencies were on display again as they squandered early dominance to fall behind against Legia Warsaw in the UEFA Conference League. Despite starting the second leg at home with high hopes, Chelsea showed signs of fragility that have plagued them throughout the season, letting a promising start slip away after failing to capitalize on early chances.

After creating two clear-cut opportunities in the opening ten minutes, Chelsea was unable to convert. The most glaring miss came when a header was sent wide, following a misjudged decision by Jadon Sancho. Instead of taking a shot himself from a promising position, Sancho opted to square the ball, which led to the chance being wasted. Their inability to score early came back to haunt them.

Moments after their missed opportunities, Warsaw made Chelsea pay. The visitors’ first significant attack into Chelsea’s penalty area ended in disaster for the Blues. Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen fouled Tomas Pekhart inside the box, resulting in a penalty. The Legia Warsaw forward, who had previously played for Southampton, calmly dispatched the penalty to give the visitors a shock lead. This goal was a stark reminder of Chelsea’s persistent issues with concentration lapses and missed chances, areas that have been a recurring theme for them this season.

Chelsea responded with a late equalizer in the first half, courtesy of Marc Cucurella. However, their joy was short-lived, as they fell behind again early in the second half when Steve Kapuadi scored for Warsaw, extending their lead. Despite the setback, Chelsea’s 3-0 victory in the first leg proved to be decisive. The Blues held on for a 4-2 aggregate scoreline over both legs, securing their place in the Conference League semi-finals. Despite the struggle in the second leg, Enzo Maresca’s side will look to build on their aggregate victory and aim for a strong finish in the competition.