Sarri’s resurgent side take big step in progression

CHELSEA 3 DYNAMO KIEV 0

CHELSEA continued their resurgence under Maurizio Sarri by putting one foot in the quarter-finals of the Europa League with a dominant win over Dynamo Kiev. Sarri’s side made it three wins in nine days thanks to goals from Pedro, Willian and substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi, but should be taking a far greater aggregate lead to Ukraine for next week’s return match. The Blues squandered a host of chances in the first leg of the last-16 tie as Dynamo goalkeeper Denys Boyko produced an inspired display, while Pedro (above) had a strong penalty appeal turned down. With the Video Assistant Referee system not being used in this competition until the final, Dynamo could also have complaints about being denied a first-half spot-kick after a cross clipped the arm of Marcos Alonso during a rare foray forward. Chelsea took the lead when Pedro gained possession wide on the left and drove at the Dynamo defence, and, after receiving the ball back via a delightful flick from Olivier Giroud, finished clinically through the legs of keeper Boyko in the 17th minute. After missing chances, it was Sarri’s substitutions which eventually inspired the overdue additional goals, starting with the second in the 65th minute. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, brought on in place of Ross Barkley, was fouled on the edge of the box and Willian, formerly of Dynamo’s rivals Shakhtar Donetsk, brilliantly curled the resultant set-piece into the top left corner with Boyko this time rooted to the spot. The third was notched when Loftus-Cheek was released by a superb pass from Pedro and he backheeled into the path of Hudson-Odoi, allowing the 18-year-old forward to emphatically smash home. Chelsea boss Sarri said: “I think we played a very good match without conceding and we did very well in the first half. I didn’t like the 10 minutes after 2-0, as we lowered our intensity. “The third goal is very important, 3-0 is an important result. Of course we have to play the second leg and be careful. “I think that for us with this kind of opponent we need to play like we did in the first half and be really dangerous. “We expect the second game to be the same kind of match. I think we will need to defend more. 3-0 is a good result. We need to play the second game with the same level of attention and application.”