Dewsbury-Hall sees off Djurgården as Chelsea reach Conference League final

Chelsea’s presumption arsenic London’s premier European trophy hunters remains inarguable. Winning this season’s Conference League would adhd to a acceptable of 2 European Cups, 2 Europa Leagues and having doubly been ­winners of the aged Cup Winners’ Cup.

If Uefa’s insignificant contention is not meant for planetary super-clubs, much clubs specified arsenic Djurgården, swept speech easy implicit 2 legs, Blues fans tin look guardant to an eighth European final, having won six of seven. It is simply a haul Arsenal fans licking achy wounds from Paris tin lone imagination of.

Progress to the Wroclaw last came connected a nighttime without hostility but afloat of atmosphere, mostly coming from the visiting Swedish fans. Expectation tin beryllium a passionateness slayer and Chelsea’s Conference League run has been afloat of quiescent Thursdays. The Swedish contingent lit up the nighttime with sound and fervour. They had determined to marque the astir of their Conference League experience.

For Enzo Maresca, nonaccomplishment to assistance the trophy connected 28 May would inactive registry arsenic an abject nonaccomplishment and number against immoderate designs connected lasting longer than a azygous season. His bosses person designs connected playing connected alternatively grander stages but the Italian moved a measurement person towards 1 of the season’s objectives. There, the erstwhile Sevilla subordinate volition look Real Betis, coached by his mentor, Manuel Pellegrini, “my nonrecreational dad”.

Maresca described reaching the last arsenic “a starting constituent for a winning mentality and past to effort to triumph much and much titles hopefully successful the future” earlier looking up to Sunday’s noon assignment. “Now, the astir important crippled has go Newcastle,” helium said. “We person 20 days to hole the final, and we person to spot crippled aft game.”

That the Champions League is apical precedence was laid bare by Maresca’s selection, 10 changes made from Liverpool connected Sunday. A three-goal borderline was calculated – correctly – to beryllium enough. A archetypal commencement for Reggie Walsh, 16 and wrong his GCSE survey period. Walsh, who looks yet younger, became the youngest Chelsea subordinate to commencement a European match. Before kick-off, the captain, Reece James, hugged his young teammate, arsenic if offering fatherly advice.

Djurgården’s distant contingent, successful the country of the Shed End, were determined to amusement disconnected ultra credentials astatine a stadium erstwhile 1 of the cathedrals of terrace culture. The modern Stamford Bridge, with pre-match passageway club, hardly resembles the Football Factory the visitors mightiness callback from their DVD collection. Noise, brandished scarves and firework fume filled the westbound ­London air.

Could their heroes onshore an aboriginal stroke to onslaught hostility into the tie? When August Priske won a escaped shot connected the close and laid up Tokmac Nguen, it momentarily felt possible, lone for the Norwegian to balloon his effort. The excitement astir that onslaught made wide DF fans were dotted astir the Bridge, including successful firm sections. Many semi-final tickets had landed successful the incorrect – if consenting – hands.

DF’s fans and their squad ended the nighttime successful large synchronicity, applauding each other’s efforts, arsenic nine anthems were bellowed lustily. “I was disappointed for a while,” said their manager Jani Honkavaara. “But erstwhile we saw their reaction, I deliberation we each felt we could beryllium arrogant of a agelong campaign.”

Reggie Walsh is the youngest subordinate to commencement a European lucifer for Chelsea astatine the property of 16. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA

Walsh had completed the afloat 90, having not looked astatine each overawed. “He was fantastic, composed,” said Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, his manager yet much effusive, uncharacteristically so. Maresca said: “I emotion him due to the fact that he’s that benignant of a subordinate I privation to play successful my system, he’s perfect.”

Marc Cucurella had partnered James successful midfield arsenic Chelsea dominated first-half play before, after, the 19-year-old striker Tyrique George’s crook and pass, Dewsbury-Hall ran escaped to usher the shot home.

Despite the necktie being implicit arsenic a contest, the 2nd fractional resumed with yet louder Swedish noise. Cucurella had been withdrawn, overseeing relation completed, and the teen Shumaira Mheuka came connected to the pb the line.

A consolation extremity mightiness person blown the extortion disconnected but the squad estimated to beryllium worthy 44 times their opponents defended tightly arsenic the bulk of the amusement worth remained successful the stands.

With 20 minutes to play, James was removed for Trevoh Chalobah, and successful spot of Sancho, connected came Genesis Antwi, the 17-year-old facing absorption from his Stockholm birthplace arsenic 5 teenagers completed the job. “Fantastic for the academy, fantastic for the future,” said their manager.

Maresca’s usage of flowering younker suggested agleam days up for the Chelsea task – oregon axenic profit, depending connected the concern model. A last day successful Poland is among them.