Chelsea vs Lille LIVE: Champions League result and final score as Pulisic and Havertz goals give Blues lead

Romelu Lukaku doesn’t step on the pitch, but Chelsea put more than a foot in the quarter-finals.

Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic got the touches that matter in the absence of the striker, for a 2-0 win over Lille that was so routine it felt more like a Champions League group game than a knock-out.

That’s a bigger problem for the competition, but the bigger problem for Chelsea - and the main significance from this game - was the fact both Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech went off injured.

They may now join Lukaku on the bench for Sunday’s League Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley, if that’s how Thomas Tuchel goes.

Édouard Mendy has kept a clean sheet in 14 of his 18 starts in the Champions League (78%) – the highest clean sheet ratio of any goalkeeper with 5+ starts in the competition’s history.

Chelsea continued the defence of their Champions League title as they defeated Lille 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Kai Havertz, starting ahead of Romelu Lukaku, had a couple of early chances before heading Chelsea in front from Hakim Ziyech’s corner on eight minutes.

Lille grew into the contest following Chelsea’s fast start but did not trouble goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and the Blues doubled their lead through Christian Pulisic midway through the second half.

Here are five things we learned:

90+5 mins: Job done for Chelsea. They win their round of 16 first leg comfortably and take a two goal advantage to France. The only blemish of the night for Thomas Tuchel is a potential injury to Mateo Kovacic who hobbled off down the tunnel after being substituted early in the second half.

90+3 mins: Chelsea have some defending to do. Another free kick results it a Lille corner after Havertz heads the first set piece behind. Bamba flicks the ball into the box but Rudiger heads it away. The ball drops for substitute Gudmundsson who meets it on the volley but puts his effort from range high and wide.

90 mins: Lille defend the Chelsea corner easily enough and attack down the inside right. They win a free kick and Jonathan Bamba swings the set piece into the penalty area. It’s won by a Lille player but the header just flicks the ball on and Kai Havertz smuggles it away.

Five minutes of added time to play.

87 mins: Cesar Azpilicueta brings the ball down the right side and is allowed time on the ball. He picks his spot and floats a cross in towards Kai Havertz. Zeki Celik just manages to squeeze in front of the Chelsea forward and wins the ball in the air but he can only direct it behind for a corner.

84 mins: Ruben Loftu-Cheek picks up the first yellow card of the game for a late tackle and then Hatem Ben Arfa joins him in the book for a cynical tackle on Timo Werner to stop the counter attack developing.

81 mins: Into the last 10 minutes now at Stamford Bridge. Thiago Silva blocks another pass into the penalty area and boots it clear for Chelsea. He’s been great for the Blues tonight.

Chelsea take over possession and look to pass the ball around the defence, hoping to build something from the back.

78 mins: Double substitution for Chelsea. Christian Pulisic and Marcos Alonso are taken off with Timo Werner and Malang Sarr replacing them.

Hatem Ben Arfa and Eden Zhegrova come on for Lille. Renato Sanches and Jonathan David the two players taken off.