Despite being considered underdogs against PSG, Chelsea entered the match with great confidence. As early as the 8th minute, “The Blues” sent shockwaves through their opponents. Pedro laid the ball off smoothly, and Palmer followed up with a razor-sharp shot that missed PSG’s goal by mere inches.
But Palmer didn’t have to regret that miss for long — he was the one who opened the scoring for Chelsea. In the 22nd minute, Gusto made a forward run and attempted a shot but was blocked. The ball bounced back, and he laid it off for Palmer, who struck a precise shot into the net, putting Chelsea 1-0 ahead.
Riding the wave of momentum, Palmer struck again in the 30th minute. After receiving a long ball from Colwill, he drove straight toward the center of PSG’s defense, used a clever feint to fool his marker, and then slotted a low, clinical finish to double Chelsea’s lead.
Palmer’s brilliance didn’t stop there. Before the first half ended, Chelsea added a third goal, once again thanks to Palmer’s genius. He played a perfect through ball to release Pedro, who coolly slotted the ball home with a composed finish, making it 3-0.
Lineup on the field
Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; James, Caicedo; Neto, Fernandez, Palmer; Joao Pedro.
PSG: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Beraldo, Mendes; Vitinha, Neves, Ruiz; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.