Heidenheim 0-2 Chelsea: Blues maintain perfect Conference League record after toughest test yet with Christopher Nkunku claiming more starts

Just as Didier Drogba was in the Champions League and Olivier Giroud in the Europa League, Christopher Nkunku could soon be dubbed Chelsea’s Mr Conference League, given how quickly the £52m marksman stands out in this competition.

Nkunku may not disrupt the Premier League roster – the perils of competing with Cole Palmer at No.10 – but as Enzo Maresca continues to insist, he definitely has a place at Chelsea. Currently, he is their top scorer in all competitions.

Nkunku’s second-half goal took him to 11 goals, more than the seven scored by Palmer and Nicolas Jackson. The 27-year-old would have added more if not for Heidenheim goalkeeper Kevin Muller, who did his best impression of a brick wall.

Chelsea will continue to reject suggestions that Nkunku is unhappy, although some frustration would be understandable. He is a strong finisher, having scored in every Conference League match Chelsea have played this campaign, including the two-legged play-offs. It is largely due to his help that the club has maintained a 100 percent record.

Nkunku was needed here as Heidenheim fought harder than Gent, Panathinaikos and Noah combined in Chelsea’s previous wins, with Mykhailo Mudryk confirming the win late on.

Heidenheim have their own Special One in Frank Schmidt, their manager appointed on September 17, 2007 – three days before Jose Mourinho resigned at Chelsea during his first spell while Shim Mheuka, the academy striker on the Blues bench, was not even present. born at the time.

They love Schmidt here, still calling him their ‘king’ as he sits 15th in the Bundesliga. The first 10 minutes looked like shooting practice for Marc Guiu, but the 18-year-old, signed this summer for £5million from Barcelona, ​​failed to take any of the four chances that came his way .

His fifth chance to score in the 17th minute was blocked by the feet of Muller, who then flew to his left to deny Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from 20 yards. It was clear to Chelsea that Heidenheim was not there to fall back as shaky as Noah, their latest Conference League victim.

Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen joined the party when he used a powerful right hand to thwart Paul Wanner, Heidenheim’s biggest talent on loan from Bayern Munich as an 18-year-old.

When Nkunku broke through after 28 minutes, he tried to collect the ball over Muller, but the lob flew behind. The opportunities were numerous but the composure, less.

In the 33rd minute, Mudryk went down after being sandwiched by Patrick Mainka and Omar Traoré as Chelsea thought they had won a penalty. Jadon Sancho stood with the ball nearby, hoping to score his first goal in English football in 18 months. But after a visit to his on-field monitor, referee Serdar Gozubuyuk ruled it was a dive.

Before half-time, Nkunku was dancing in the Heidenheim area. The slalom was beautiful but, once again, Muller was there to keep it going aimlessly. Tosin Adarabioyo also went close in stoppage time when he sent Dewsbury-Hall’s cross wide.

Five minutes into the second half, Chelsea finally broke through when Sancho cut the ball back and Nkunku scored by controlling with his left and finishing with his right for 1-0.

Heidenheim would have equalized without Jorgensen who made a sensational double save from Wanner and Leonardo Scienza. Chelsea secured victory in the 86th minute when Mudryk sent Sancho’s pass into the top corner for 2-0 and the match was over. They finished the match at 10 men, however, with Cesare Casadei sent off late on.