Chelsea 1-0 Pafos: Electric Estevao comes off bench to shake up robotic Blues – and why Liam Rosenior will be hoping history will repeat itself during his tenure, writes KIERAN GILL
It was at half-time and while goalless when Estevao emerged from the tunnel to perform individual warm-ups with a Chelsea coach – the cheers up there with the loudest we had heard all night.
‘Come on, Steve,’ went the cries. The supporters inside Stamford Bridge realised he was being brought on and, with Cole Palmer missing due to muscular tightness, they hoped he would be the one to find a way for the youngest side in this season’s Champions League to unlock the oldest.
They wanted the Estevao effect, essentially, and with the 18-year-old Brazilian introduction came an automatic increase in intensity.
Finally, there was a little flair to Chelsea’s forward play, whereas it had been oh-so robotic up until this stage. Even Benoit Badiashile was expressing himself, one flick from the defender setting up Estevao, whose eventually attempt was blocked.
Indeed, as we edged towards the final 15 minutes, there had been more blocks than a game of Tetris from Pafos, and visiting manager Albert Celades knew exactly what he was doing.
The last time Chelsea had managed 20-plus shots in a Champions League home game without scoring was September 2019 – in a 1-0 loss to Valencia, managed by none other than Celades.
Estevao came off the bench for Chelsea and the 18-year-old increased the intensity
It was only in the 78th minute when the pieces finally fell into place for Liam Rosenior. Chelsea swung in their 14th corner of this contest, Pedro Neto’s cross was flicked on fortunately, and Moises Caicedo crashed through the bodies in the box to head home. At last, they had their lead.
This had been a Champions League night which brought flashbacks to Conference League for Chelsea, facing a side perfectly happy to sit back in their defensive shape with a plan to try to pounce on the counter.
Last season they usually found a way through those opponents, one way or another. They were made to wait for that breakthrough here.
Perhaps Celades had caught Jamie Carragher’s analysis on Monday Night Football when he explained how Rosenior loves trying to play through the middle.
Pafos were narrow as they left their flanks free, and that meant there was a heavy reliance on Chelsea’s wingers making something happen.
Occasionally they went on their own runs, like when Neto skipped by two markers before curling over from 20 yards, but usually, they crossed.
Chelsea will feel somewhat aggrieved that they had to wait so long to score as they reckon they had a legitimate goal in the 17th minute disallowed, when Neto’s cross found Enzo Fernandez.
He headed in, but our referee, Erik Lambrechts, reckoned he saw a nudge in the back of Derrick Luckassen. It was a soft call, to say the least, and might have opened the floodgates for Chelsea.
Chelsea had to work hard for their win over Pafos and it was Estevao who fans wanted to see
Moises Caicedo scored the only goal of the game for the Blues on Wednesday night
Rosenior hopes it can be ‘third time lucky’ for Chelsea after the two times they won the Champions League previously coming in a season in which they changed managers.
They won it in 2012 under Roberto Di Matteo, after he took over from Andre Villas-Boas, and in 2021 under Thomas Tuchel, who replaced Frank Lampard.
Rosenior will face tougher sides than Pafos as they continue in Europe’s elite competition, but you suspect none more defensive.
