Chelsea made sure to keep a clean slate in the UEFA Conference League, beating newcomers Heidenheim 2-0 at Voith-Arena and kept the top spot in the group.
The match began with both sides showing early promise. Heidenheim almost took a shock lead through Paul Wanner, whose darting run and near-post strike tested Filip Jørgensen. Chelsea responded with chances from Marc Guiu and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, while Christopher Nkunku’s lofted effort narrowly missed the target.
The Blues were also denied a penalty as VAR overturned an initial decision for a foul on Mykhailo Mudryk, while Heidenheim’s goalkeeper Kevin Müller made crucial saves to keep the score level at halftime.
The breakthrough came six minutes after the restart when Nkunku latched onto Jadon Sancho’s pass and rifled home, his fifth in as many European games this season. Heidenheim pushed for an equalizer through Leo Scienza and Wanner, but Jørgensen stood firm.
Mykhailo Mudryk sealed it on 86 minutes with a side-footed finish with ice-cold composure and Casasei saw a red late on that was immaterial.
This victory bolsters Chelsea’s fine European form, while Heidenheim stay in qualifying position despite struggling at home, now with two games remaining in their bid to reach the knockout stage.
