Chelsea edges Copenhagen 2-1 in Conference League opener

Chelsea secured a 2-1 victory over Copenhagen in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League Round of 16 tie, thanks to goals from Reece James and Enzo Fernandez. James opened the scoring just after halftime with a powerful low shot, while Fernandez doubled the lead shortly after being introduced as a substitute. Copenhagen managed to pull one back with a header from Gabriel Pereira, setting up a tense second leg at Stamford Bridge. The match also marked a milestone as 17-year-old Shim Mheuka became Chelsea's youngest starter in a major European competition. Despite the win, Chelsea faced challenges, including an injury to Malo Gusto during the first half and a lackluster first-half performance. The Blues remain favorites to advance to the quarter-finals but will need to maintain focus in the return fixture next week.