Kante drives up the pitch again, and in the end Havertz's square ball to find a teammate in space is cut out. Chelsea have looked dangerous when they've had a chance to counter. 34th min: Lille are managing to get the ball up to the final third, but struggling to get it into the area. Thomas Tuchel is animated on the edge of his area, he shouts so much that his chewing gum falls out of his mouth. 30th min: Kante wins the ball back and forces a turnover, not for the first time in this game. At the other end, Renato Sanches can't quite get his final ball right, but everything Lille are doing seems to involve him.
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28th min: Lille are struggling to get Jonathan David on the ball in dangerous areas, while Chelsea's wingbacks are making a real difference. Chelsea's threat is coming through the wide areas and Lille are being left two against one. 23rd min: The game has calmed down a little now. Renato Sanches is getting involved in the game a little more. 17th min: Alonso tries to volley a dropping ball from the edge of the area, but it's a tame effort that doesn't trouble the 'keeper.
While the series isn't over at 2-0, LOSC Lille will have their work cut out for them to overturn the deficit when it's their turn to host the second leg. For Tuchel, the match will have proven a solid confidence booster heading into the the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday. It will be another opportunity for silverware after Chelsea came away with the European Super Cup last August and the FIFA Club World Cup earlier in February. MORE: Neymar says he wants to play in the USA Chelsea vs. Lille final score 1H 2H Final Chelsea 1 2 Lille 0 Goals: CHE — Kai Havertz (Hakim Ziyech) — 8th min.
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It was a difficult start to the second half for Chelsea, as the Blues lost both Mateo Kovacic, and then Hakim Ziyech, through injury. MORE: Why Romelu Lukaku was benched vs. Lille Chelsea needed another goal to put their minds at ease and Pulisic's goal in the 63rd minute felt like it put an end to the contest, as he finished a swift counter with composure. Although Lille didn't give up, they never felt like really threatening Edouard Mendy's goal, with Chelsea center back Thiago Silva on hand to cover on the few occasions the visitors got into dangerous positions.
On the pitch, Havertz wins it back in midfield and breaks through on goal. He's forced wide though, and with nobody up with him he can only shoot wide from a tight angle. Ziyech is back on the pitch, and he's down again. 57th min: Hakim Ziyech is down injured now, while Romelu Lukaku is warming up on the sideline for anyone wondering. 55th min: The game has a more open feel to it now. A dangerous cross from the right ends up being drilled back towards goal by Marcos Alonso. The shot is blocked by Çelik, who took a blow clearing the initial cross. He looks okay to play on. 52nd min: It is Loftus-Cheek for Kovacic. Lille are going more direct and it's working well for them.
Burak Yilmaz is on for the hosts, replacing Amadou Onana who didn't effect the game that much. 63rd min: GOAL! It's Pulisic who finishes off a clinical Chelsea counter. N'Golo Kante drives forward with the ball, as he has done all night, before playing in Pulisic on his left. The American, on his right foot, places a composed finish past Jardim into the far corner. 62nd min: Ziyech is off for Saul, which might indicate a reshuffle of some sort. Thomas Tuchel didn't need these injury concerns with a cup final at the weekend. 58th min: Ziyech, like Kovacic before him, does not look very comfortable, as he hobbles around on the sideline.
Lille Stats, Ligue 1 | FBref.com