UEFA Europa League
Result: Malmo 1-2 Chelsea
Date: 14 February 2019
Venue: Swedbank Stadion
Goals from Ross Barkley and Olivier Giroud guided Chelsea to a 2-1 win over Malmo in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League last 32 tie.
Taking a quarter of the match to their first chance wasn't the ideal start, but Giroud failed to profit from close-range.
However, Ross Barkley put Chelsea in front after collecting a cross from Pedro to poke the ball home from close range on 30 minutes.
What ended off as a fast-pace attacking first half portrayed much of the same in the second, with Anders Christiansen's dipping shot being tipped for a corner by Blues shot-stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The lead was eventually doubled just before the hour mark through Giroud's cheeky flick off a cross from Willian.
The Frenchman received a golden chance to completed his brace with 20 minutes remaining, but he steered a header wide of the mark at the far post.
In the final ten minutes, Malmo got themselves back in the tie as Christiansen got beyond the Chelsea backline to find the bottom corner to reduce the deficit.
Other results:
Viktoria Plzen 2-1 Dinamo Zagrab Club Brugge 2-1 Salzburg Zurich 1-3 Napoli Shakhtar Donestk 2-2 Eintracht Frankfurt Celtic 0-2 Valencia Sporting Lisbon 0-1 Villarreal
