Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes Chelsea will deserve a lot of credit if they win the Conference League, the heavy favourites having booked their place in the final with a 5-1 aggregate victory over Djurgarden in the semi-final.
Chelsea led 4-1 from the first leg in Stockholm and were always in command of the tie despite making 10 changes for the second leg, Enzo Maresca surely having one eye on Sunday’s crucial Premier League game at Newcastle United.
Dewsbury-Hall scored the only goal of the game in the 38th minute at Stamford Bridge, slotting home a composed finish after a neat throughball from Tyrique George.
Chelsea will face Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis in the final after the LaLiga side clinched a thrilling 4-3 aggregate win over Fiorentina with a 2-2 draw in Florence.
Abde Ezzalzouli scored the decisive goal in the seventh minute of extra time after normal time ended with the Serie A side ahead 2-1 on the night and the scores level on aggregate.
Ezzalzouli hit home at the far post after meeting a low cross from Antony, the on-loan Manchester United forward who had earlier given Betis the lead with a sublime free-kick before Robin Gosens hit back with a double for Fiorentina.
Chelsea have been favourites throughout the competition. Despite that status and the lower calibre of opposition the Blues have faced compared to the Champions League and Europa League, Dewsbury-Hall will still take tremendous pride if Maresca’s men do win the tournament.
“Amazing to be in the final,” he told TNT Sports. “We set our sights at the start of the season to get as far as we can in this tournament and it has been a long couple of months but one more game to go and and hopefully we can lift that trophy.
“It would mean everything [to lift the trophy]. A lot of people would have said we should win this at the start of the season but I think if we do, we deserve a lot of credit.
“I know what football is like, it’s not easy. If we do win it, which I hope we can, the players and staff deserve a lot of credit. We have had pressure from the first match day, we have been professional and dedicated and now we have one more game.”
