Chelsea 1-0 Pafos: Caicedo late header seals victory in Rosenior’s first UCL game | OneFootball

Chelsea boosted their chances of automatic qualification for the UEFA Champions League last 16 with a narrow but vital victory over FC Pafos at Stamford Bridge.

A late header from Moises Caicedo finally broke stubborn resistance and secured a win that keeps Chelsea firmly in contention for a top-eight finish.

The result marked head coach Liam Rosenior’s first Champions League match in charge and his fourth game since taking over.

Chelsea dominated possession throughout but were made to work hard against disciplined and organised opposition.

For long periods, it threatened to become a frustrating evening.

The home side thought they had taken an early lead when Enzo Fernandez headed in from close range, only for the goal to be disallowed for a foul in the build-up.

That decision was followed moments later by a reminder of the fine margins involved.

Pafos launched a swift counter-attack and came close to scoring when Jaja struck the post after the ball deflected off Reece James.

Chelsea continued to apply pressure but struggled to convert territorial dominance into clear chances.

Pedro Neto and Reece James both went close from range, while Jay Gorter proved increasingly influential in the Pafos goal.

The Dutch goalkeeper denied Caicedo and then reacted sharply to keep out Jorrel Hato from close range just before the interval.

Rosenior introduced greater attacking urgency after the break.

Teenage forward Estevao Willian was brought on and lifted the tempo immediately.

He came close to making an instant impact with a spectacular first-time volley that forced another strong save from Gorter.

Chelsea’s pressure continued to mount as Pafos defended deep and relied on blocks and clearances.

With time running down, patience was finally rewarded.

From Neto’s corner, the ball flicked off a defender and Caicedo reacted quickest to dive forward and head in from close range.

The breakthrough prompted visible relief around Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea managed the closing stages calmly to secure the points.

The win moves Chelsea into the top eight of the league-phase standings and strengthens their prospects of avoiding the play-off round.

They are likely to need a positive result away to Napoli in their final fixture to confirm automatic qualification.

For Rosenior, the performance offered mixed emotions.

Chelsea controlled the contest but lacked sharpness in the final third for much of the night.

However, the persistence shown to find a way through will be viewed as a positive sign.

With limited time on the training ground since his appointment, results remain the priority.

This victory keeps Chelsea’s European campaign firmly on track.

It was not fluent, but it was essential.