Athletic Bilbao defeated Elfsborg 3-0 on Thursday to draw level with Lazio at the top of the Europa League table, while Chelsea improved to four wins from four in the Conference League. Bilbao moved up to second position, trailing only Lazio on goal differential, thanks to goals from Adama Boiro, Benat Prados, and Gorka Guruzeta. The Roman club was held to a goalless draw by Ludogorets, but they stayed unblemished with 13 points from five games. Victor Osimhen scored Galatasaray’s sixth goal in as many matches in all competitions, as the Turkish giants remained third, two points behind the leaders, following a 1-1 draw at AZ Alkmaar.
Lyon surged into the top eight with a 4-1 victory over Qarabag in Baku, with Georgia attacker Georges Mikautadze scoring twice. Chelsea kept top of the Conference League standings after a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Heidenheim, who lost their perfect record.
Enzo Maresca made ten changes to the side that defeated Leicester in the Premier League over the weekend. However, the Blues ruled the first half, with Heidenheim defender Kevin Mueller maintaining them at bay with a series of excellent saves.
Chelsea needed just under six minutes after the restart to break the deadlock, with Christopher Nkunku taking a wonderful touch to control Jadon Sancho’s cross and blasting into the top corner. Nkunku, Maresca’s Premier League second-best scorer, has five goals in four Conference League games this season.
The Germans improved after falling, and nearly equalized in the 69th minute when Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen made a fantastic double save to deny Paul Wanner and Leo Scienza.
With four minutes remaining, the two-time European winners sealed the game when Sancho teed up Mykhailo Mudryk to drive a shot into the roof of the net after a one-two with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.