Palmer Shines as Chelsea Win Conference League
TDT | Manama
Chelsea clinched the UEFA Conference League title with a 4-1 win over Real Betis at Wroclaw Stadium on Wednesday, overturning a first-half deficit with a scintillating second-half performance led by the brilliance of Cole Palmer. The win marked a historic milestone, as Chelsea became the first club to claim all three major European trophies—Champions League, Europa League, and now the Conference League—cementing their legacy in European football.
The match began with Betis, making their debut in a European final, seizing early momentum. Their passionate supporters lit up the stands with green flares, and the team mirrored that energy on the pitch. In the ninth minute, Isco's precise pass found Abde Ezzalzouli unmarked at the edge of the box, and the winger fired a low, powerful shot past Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen to give Betis a 1-0 lead. The Spanish side nearly doubled their advantage when Marc Bartra's long-range effort forced a fingertip save from Jorgensen, and Johnny Cardoso squandered a golden opportunity after hesitating in front of goal.
Chelsea, however, struggled to find their rhythm in the first half, with manager Enzo Maresca later admitting his side 'approached the game in the wrong way.' Betis dominated possession and pressed relentlessly, leaving Chelsea on the back foot.
The second half told a different story. Chelsea came out revitalized, with Palmer at the heart of their resurgence. The 23-year-old playmaker, named Player of the Match, transformed the game with his vision and precision. In the 65th minute, Palmer delivered a pinpoint cross that Enzo Fernandez headed home to level the score, sparking wild celebrations among the Chelsea faithful. Just five minutes later, Palmer struck again, outwitting his marker near the byline and sending in another perfect cross for Nicolas Jackson to bundle into the net off his chest, giving Chelsea a 2-1 lead.
With Betis reeling, Chelsea capitalized on their momentum. In the 83rd minute, Jadon Sancho sealed the victory with a clinical strike into the far corner, and Moises Caicedo added a fourth goal in stoppage time, delighting the traveling fans and securing Chelsea's seventh major European trophy. Palmer's two assists in five minutes proved to be the catalyst for the turnaround, showing why he's become a cornerstone of this Chelsea side.
'I'm very happy,' Maresca said after the match. 'In the second half, we played much better.' The win, while not impacting next season's European qualification—Chelsea had already secured a Champions League spot, and Betis a Europa League place—carried immense symbolic weight. Chelsea's success completed their collection of European silverware, adding to their two Champions League titles, two Europa League crowns, and previous Cup Winners' Cup successes.
For Betis, the defeat was a bitter pill, but their spirited first-half performance and run to the final earned admiration. Chelsea, meanwhile, celebrated a night of redemption and brilliance, with Palmer's star shining brightest in Wroclaw.
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