Havertz, Pulisic deliver after Lukaku left out

LONDON • Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel was pleased that his decision paid off as Kai Havertz scored after replacing benched striker Romelu Lukaku in the 2-0 Champions League last-16, first-leg win over Lille on Tuesday.

The Blues took control of the tie thanks to Havertz's first-half header and fellow forward Christian Pulisic's clinical finish after the break at Stamford Bridge.

The holders will expect to complete their progress to the quarter-finals when they travel to France for the second leg on March 16.

But Chelsea's sixth successive win in all competitions was more a referendum on their Lukaku conundrum than an indication of their chances of retaining the trophy.

The Belgian has scored just 10 goals since a club-record £97 million (S$177.4 million) move last year from Inter Milan, for whom he had 24 league goals and 11 assists as they clinched the Serie A title. And he touched the ball only seven times in Saturday's 1-0 win at Crystal Palace, the lowest total by a Premier League player since Opta started tracking in 2003-04.

"The focus today was on intensity, on a high-speed game and hard work off the ball," Tuchel said.

"Romelu struggled in the last game to deliver that. Not only mentally tired but physically, which I can understand. It was the moment to take a step back. Today we went with other players.

"For Kai, I'm very pleased. He's been very strong for weeks now. He really stepped up. The work rate is immense. The areas of the pitch he covers for us is very good. He is never shy of defending."

Havertz needed just 15 minutes to record more touches than Lukaku managed in the entire Palace game.

Despite being infuriated in December by the Belgian public's questioning of the way he was being used in Chelsea's attacking system, Tuchel had appeared to back him on Monday, insisting his problems were no laughing matter.

But, tellingly, the Blues were more potent in Lukaku's absence and it remains to be seen if Tuchel will trust his beleaguered star in the League Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday.

At least the German knows his team have the ammunition, not least in Havertz and Pulisic, to damage opponents while their supposed leading man labours.

Lille coach Jocelyn Gourvennec admitted that his team lost to a much better side and that he will again be faced with a massive task for the second leg.

"We are obviously disappointed to lose on two avoidable goals. It's difficult to lose 2-0 considering what we produced," he added.

"Chelsea are a team that always get their hands on the game with big possession.

"Tonight we were able to compete, but they were more efficient than us. Chelsea will always be a big team in the return leg."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS