Joao Felix ended his goal drought with a standout performance, scoring two goals as Chelsea secured a convincing 4-1 victory against Panathinaikos in Athens during the UEFA Conference League on Thursday.
The Portugal forward, who has struggled since rejoining Chelsea from Atletico Madrid in August, made the most of his opportunity, demonstrating his skills and determination to impress manager Enzo Maresca. Prior to this match, Felix had only scored once in his previous seven appearances this season, with that goal coming during his debut against Wolves on August 25.
Felix opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, starting the play with a cushioned header to Mykhailo Mudryk before darting into the six-yard box to finish from the Ukrainian’s cross. Mudryk then added the second goal in the 49th minute with a powerful strike following a cross from Neto.
Felix struck again in the 55th minute, launching a 20-yard shot that deflected into the net, sealing Chelsea’s dominance in the match. A penalty converted by Christopher Nkunku in the 59th minute further emphasized Chelsea’s superiority, awarded after Daniel Mancini fouled. Facundo Pellistri managed to score a consolation goal for Panathinaikos in the 69th minute with a close-range finish.
Before the match, Panathinaikos paid tribute to defender George Baldock, who tragically drowned earlier this month. His teammates wore shirts bearing the number 32, and fans held up green cards in his memory during a poignant minute’s silence.
Chelsea’s victory marked their second consecutive win in the tournament, while Maresca made 11 changes from the squad that lost to Liverpool over the weekend, yet still fielded a formidable team.
FIORENTINA OVERCOMES SCARY START TO WIN 4-2 AT ST GALLEN
In another notable match, Fiorentina overcame a scare to win 4-2 against St Gallen. The Swiss side initially took the lead through Felix Mambimbi’s goal in the 23rd minute, but Fiorentina equalized shortly after halftime with Lucas Martinez scoring in the 50th minute.
Jonathan Ikone then put Fiorentina ahead in the 54th minute, only for St Gallen’s Lukas Gortler to level the score again in the 62nd minute. Ikone restored the lead in the 69th minute, and Robin Gosens secured the victory with a stoppage-time goal, marking Fiorentina’s second straight win in the competition.
SHAMROCK ROVERS TRIUMPH IN NORTHERN IRELAND
In other fixtures, Shamrock Rovers dominated Larne with a 4-1 victory. The match, held at Windsor Park, saw the Rovers establish control early, with Joshua Honohan scoring in the third minute and Johnny Kenny adding another goal before a Tomas Cosgrove own goal further extended their lead. Chris Gallagher netted a reply for Larne, but Graham Burke completed the rout in the 53rd minute.
Additionally, Hearts recorded a 2-0 win over Omonia Nicosia, with Alan Forrest and Blair Spittal on the scoresheet, maintaining their perfect record in the group stage with six points.