Chelsea vs Lille LIVE: Champions League result and final score as Pulisic and Havertz goals give Blues lead

Reaction as Chelsea resumed the defence of their Champions League title at home to Lille in the last-16

Chelsea vs Lille: Romelu Lukaku's struggles no laughing matter, says Thomas Tuchel

Goals in each half from Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic earned defending champions Chelsea a solid 2-0 last-16 first-leg victory over Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday, but the London side will be concerned about injuries to key players.

Havertz, who had already had two attempts on goal early in the game, headed down a Hakim Ziyech corner in the eighth minute and the ball bounced high off the turf into the net.

Chelsea left struggling striker Romelu Lukaku on the bench and it was Pulisic who hit the second in the 63rd minute with a curling finish after N’Golo Kante’s surging run and pinpoint pass.

Ligue 1 champions Lille, who topped their qualifying group ahead of Salzburg, VfL Wolfsburg and Sevilla, kept Chelsea busy going forward with buzzing runs from Renato Sanches, Benjamin Andre and Jonathan Bamba.

But efforts from all three and from Canadian striker Jonathan David were either blocked, usually by defensive rock Thiago Silva, or collected easily by Edouard Mendy in the Chelsea goal.

Chelsea, who face Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday, may be satisfied with taking a two-goal lead to Lille for the second leg on March 16. But they will be concerned for the fitness of pivotal midfielder Mateo Kovacic and of in-form Ziyech who both limped off early in the second half.

Chelsea vs Lille LIVE: Latest updates

• Chelsea XI: Mendy; Christensen, Thiago Silva, Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Kante, Kovacic, Alonso; Pulisic, Havertz, Ziyech
• Lille XI: Jardim, Celik, Djalo, Fonte, Botman, Renato Sanches, Andre, Xeka, Bamba, David, Onana
• 8 min: Kai Havertz heads Blues in front, Chelsea 1-0 Lille
• 63 min: Christian Pulisic adds second to extend lead, Chelsea 2-0 Lille

[22 February 2022 22:03 · Michael Jones]

Christian Pulisic caps dominant win over Lille as Chelsea continue Champions League defence

Romelu Lukaku doesn’t step on the pitch, but Chelsea put more than a foot in the quarter-finals.

Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic got the touches that matter in the absence of the striker, for a 2-0 win over Lille that was so routine it felt more like a Champions League group game than a knock-out.

That’s a bigger problem for the competition, but the bigger problem for Chelsea - and the main significance from this game - was the fact both Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech went off injured.

They may now join Lukaku on the bench for Sunday’s League Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley, if that’s how Thomas Tuchel goes.

[22 February 2022 22:00 · Michael Jones]

Chelsea 2 - 0 Lille

Édouard Mendy has kept a clean sheet in 14 of his 18 starts in the Champions League (78%) – the highest clean sheet ratio of any goalkeeper with 5+ starts in the competition’s history.

(IKIMAGES/AFP via Getty Images)

[22 February 2022 21:56 · Michael Jones]

Chelsea 2 - 0 Lille: Five things we learned as Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic seal comfortable win

Chelsea continued the defence of their Champions League title as they defeated Lille 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Kai Havertz, starting ahead of Romelu Lukaku, had a couple of early chances before heading Chelsea in front from Hakim Ziyech’s corner on eight minutes.

Lille grew into the contest following Chelsea’s fast start but did not trouble goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and the Blues doubled their lead through Christian Pulisic midway through the second half.

Here are five things we learned:

[22 February 2022 21:53 · Michael Jones]

Full-time: Chelsea 2 - 0 Lille

90+5 mins: Job done for Chelsea. They win their round of 16 first leg comfortably and take a two goal advantage to France. The only blemish of the night for Thomas Tuchel is a potential injury to Mateo Kovacic who hobbled off down the tunnel after being substituted early in the second half.

[22 February 2022 21:49 · Michael Jones]

Chelsea 2 - 0 Lille

90+3 mins: Chelsea have some defending to do. Another free kick results it a Lille corner after Havertz heads the first set piece behind. Bamba flicks the ball into the box but Rudiger heads it away. The ball drops for substitute Gudmundsson who meets it on the volley but puts his effort from range high and wide.

[22 February 2022 21:46 · Michael Jones]

Chelsea 2 - 0 Lille

90 mins: Lille defend the Chelsea corner easily enough and attack down the inside right. They win a free kick and Jonathan Bamba swings the set piece into the penalty area. It’s won by a Lille player but the header just flicks the ball on and Kai Havertz smuggles it away.

Five minutes of added time to play.

[22 February 2022 21:45 · Michael Jones]

Chelsea 2 - 0 Lille

87 mins: Cesar Azpilicueta brings the ball down the right side and is allowed time on the ball. He picks his spot and floats a cross in towards Kai Havertz. Zeki Celik just manages to squeeze in front of the Chelsea forward and wins the ball in the air but he can only direct it behind for a corner.

[22 February 2022 21:43 · Michael Jones]

Chelsea 2 - 0 Lille

84 mins: Ruben Loftu-Cheek picks up the first yellow card of the game for a late tackle and then Hatem Ben Arfa joins him in the book for a cynical tackle on Timo Werner to stop the counter attack developing.

[22 February 2022 21:38 · Michael Jones]

Chelsea 2 - 0 Lille

81 mins: Into the last 10 minutes now at Stamford Bridge. Thiago Silva blocks another pass into the penalty area and boots it clear for Chelsea. He’s been great for the Blues tonight.

Chelsea take over possession and look to pass the ball around the defence, hoping to build something from the back.

[22 February 2022 21:37 · Michael Jones]

Chelsea 2 - 0 Lille

78 mins: Double substitution for Chelsea. Christian Pulisic and Marcos Alonso are taken off with Timo Werner and Malang Sarr replacing them.

Hatem Ben Arfa and Eden Zhegrova come on for Lille. Renato Sanches and Jonathan David the two players taken off.