Reggie Walsh is so absurdly young, he was still five months from being born down the road from Stamford Bridge when that slip from John Terry contributed to Chelsea losing their 2008 Champions League final shootout to Manchester United.
The schoolboy aged 16 years and 200 days became the club’s youngest-ever starter in Europe as he helped them move to within a single victory of the Conference League trophy.
He was nifty at No 10, and while others may mock Chelsea’s participation in this competition, try telling Walsh and his family that this match did not matter. The same goes for Shim Mheuka, Tyrique George and all the other academy graduates who have used this European stage to showcase their budding talents and prove Cobham is still producing.
Towards full-time, Chelsea fans were singing: ‘We’ve won it all.’ They will need to make sure they win the final in Wroclaw, Poland on May 28. Manager Enzo Maresca is bound to go strong in that showdown, but he knew this second leg was never in jeopardy – not with the 4-1 lead they had managed to secure last week in Stockholm.
Hundreds of Djurgarden fans had seemingly managed to source tickets for the home ends and they were hardly incognito, commandeering the top tier of the West Stand and singing in their Swedish twang: ‘F*** you, f*** you, Chelsea.’
It took 27 minutes for a first shot on target in this second leg as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and George tested Djurgarden goalkeeper Jacob Rinne in quick succession.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored the only goal as Chelsea reached the Conference League final
Reggie Walsh, aged just 16 and 200 days, became the club’s youngest-ever starter in Europe
Tyrique George’s through-ball set up Dewsbury-Hall, who cut in and found the back of net
Chelsea took the lead 10 minutes later when George’s through-ball set up Dewsbury-Hall, who cut in on to his left foot and found the bottom corner. With that, the Blues led by four goals on aggregate. Dewsbury-Hall was signed from Leicester for £30million. He has played a minor role in the Premier League, but has managed more minutes than anyone in this competition and will be worthy of that medal if Chelsea can see it through.
Maresca’s set-up was a little lopsided – he had three right backs in his line-up – and that perhaps explained why we were not being served up the most entertaining moves.
In the 56th minute, Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen was forced into action as he denied Miro Tenho. After 61, George threw himself at Jadon Sancho’s cross, but missed.
Maresca’s gamble – if we can call it that – worked. Chelsea moved into the Conference League final, and his bug guns will return for Newcastle this Sunday.
