Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior praised his side’s persistence and discipline after a narrow Champions League victory over Pafos at Stamford Bridge, a result that kept the Blues on course in a tightly contested group.
Faced with a deep and well organised defensive block, Chelsea were forced to remain patient before Moises Caicedo finally broke the deadlock in the 78th minute to secure a 1-0 win.
For long spells, the contest followed a familiar pattern. Chelsea dominated possession and territory, while Pafos committed numbers behind the ball and relied on last-ditch defending and goalkeeping to stay in the game.
A first-half effort from Enzo Fernandez was ruled out, a decision that drew visible frustration from the home bench and players alike, but Rosenior insisted his team never lost belief.
Reflecting on the match, the Chelsea boss, whose father was a former Sierra Leone international, highlighted the mental strength shown by his players.
“Yeah, you have to keep banging on the door. Obviously, you want to get the breakthrough earlier to open up the game. That was a harsh decision on Enzo. Maybe puts his hands on him. I think in the Premier League, it’s probably a goal.”
Despite that setback, Rosenior was encouraged by the response. “The body language of the group, they kept going,” he added, pointing to Chelsea’s ability to stay compact at the back while pushing forward in search of a winner.
The decisive moment arrived from a set piece, with Caicedo rising to head home and finally reward Chelsea’s pressure. Rosenior was quick to underline the midfielder’s quality.
“Yeah, Moi is an outstanding player. A world-class midfield player,” he said, noting Chelsea’s growing threat from dead-ball situations and Caicedo’s increasing goal contribution.
Rosenior also addressed his decision to withdraw captain Reece James at half time, explaining it was a precaution rather than a reaction to performance.
“Yeah, minutes,” he said, stressing the importance of managing the fullback’s workload during a demanding schedule. With matches coming thick and fast, Rosenior believes keeping James fit will be vital, describing him as “an outstanding player and a leader in our group.”
