Late Caicedo header breaks resilient Pafos after a night of missed chances and injury worry.
Chelsea scraped a narrow 1-0 victory over a stubborn Pafos FC at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, a result that pushed them into the Champions League’s top eight but came at a cost.
Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, the Blues were frustrated for over 80 minutes by the Cypriot side’s disciplined defense. The breakthrough finally came from an unlikely source, as midfielder Moises Caicedo rose to meet a late corner and powered a header home for the winner.
The night was one of frustration for manager Liam Rosenior’s side. They thought they had taken an early lead when Enzo Fernandez headed home, only for the goal to be disallowed for a foul. Chelsea then endured a scare when a rare Pafos shot deflected off Reece James and onto the post.
The second half brought a double blow. First, goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen was forced off at halftime with a knock, replaced by Robert Sanchez. Then, despite a flurry of attacks that forced Pafos keeper Jay Gorter into several saves, the decisive goal remained elusive until Caicedo’s late intervention.
While Rosenior will be relieved with the three points, the injury to Jorgensen casts a shadow as the team prepares for a tough final group match away to Napoli. The win moves Chelsea to eighth in the league phase, putting qualification for the knockout rounds firmly in their own hands.
For Pafos, the defeat was a story of heroic resistance finally broken. The visitors, who had faced the most shots in the competition this season, lived up to their reputation for being hard to break down, limiting Chelsea to just one goal from 21 attempts. Former Chelsea defender David Luiz was an unused substitute on his return to Stamford Bridge, watching as his old club eventually found a way through.
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