Conference League: Felix brace propels Chelsea to 4-1 victory over Panathinaikos

Joao Felix ended his goal drought with a brace as Chelsea secured a commanding 4-1 win against Panathinaikos in Athens during their UEFA Conference League clash on Thursday. 

Felix, who has struggled to find form since returning to Chelsea in August, took his chance to impress manager Enzo Maresca.

After going six games without a goal, Felix netted twice, with Mykhailo Mudryk and Christopher Nkunku also contributing to the win.

Felix opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, combining with Mudryk before slotting home from the Ukrainian’s cross.

Mudryk added a second early in the second half, and Felix struck again in the 55th minute with a deflected shot. Nkunku then converted a penalty, awarded for a foul by Daniel Mancini, to solidify Chelsea’s dominance.

Panathinaikos’s Facundo Pellistri pulled one back in the 69th minute, but it was not enough to change the outcome.

The match also featured a tribute to Panathinaikos defender George Baldock, who tragically passed away earlier this month.

– Fiorentina scare –

Beaten by West Ham and then Olympiakos in the last two Conference League finals, Fiorentina survived a scare in their 4-2 win at St Gallen.

The Swiss side took a shock lead through Felix Mambimbi’s 23rd minute goal but Lucas Martinez equalised in the 50th minute.

Jonathan Ikone struck for Fiorentina four minutes later before St Gallen’s Lukas Gortler levelled in the 62nd minute.

Ikone restored the lead in the 69th minute and Robin Gosens’s stoppage-time goal secured the Serie A team’s second successive victory in the competition.

The champions of the Republic of Ireland were too strong for the champions of Northern Ireland as Shamrock Rovers routed Larne 4-1.

The first competitive meeting between the two sides was played at Belfast’s Windsor Park because Larne’s Inver Park stadium is not big enough to host Conference League matches.

Rovers were on top from the start as Graham Burke’s incisive run teed up Joshua Honohan, who drilled home from eight yards in the third minute.

Johnny Kenny headed in Burke’s cross to increase the visitors’ lead in the 24th minute.

Tomas Cosgrove’s 30th minute own goal put Rovers in command and Chris Gallagher’s reply three minutes after half-time was swiftly erased as Burke completed the thrashing in the 53rd minute.

Hearts also have six points after beating Omonia Nicosia 2-0 at Tynecastle.

Alan Forrest and Blair Spittal were the scorers as Hearts ignored their position near the bottom of the Scottish Premiership to build on their opening victory against Dinamo Minsk.

It was a second consecutive win for new Hearts boss Neil Critchley, who replaced the sacked Steven Naismith.