Felix brace fires Chelsea past Panathinaikos

Joao Felix ended his goal drought with a brace as Chelsea powered to a 4-1 win against Panathinaikos in Athens in the UEFA Conference League yesterday. Portugal forward Felix has struggled to make an impact since returning for a second spell with Chelsea in August.Yet to start a Premier League game following his move from Atletico Madrid, the 24-year-old seized the chance to prove a point to Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.Felix’s only goal in seven previous appearances this season came on his debut at Wolves on August 25. He ended his six-game barren run in the first half against out-classed Panathinaikos and netted again after the interval.Mykhailo Mudryk and Christopher Nkunku were also on target as Chelsea made it two wins from two games in the tournament. Before kick-off, Panathinaikos paid tribute to their defender George Baldock, who drowned in his swimming pool in Athens aged 31 earlier this month.In Panathinaikos’s first home match since Baldock’s death, his teammates warmed up wearing the Greece international’s number 32 on their shirts, while fans held up green cards with the same numerals during an emotional minute’s silence. Maresca made 11 changes from the side that lost at Liverpool last weekend, but still fielded a strong side that was far too dynamic for Panathinaikos.Felix put Chelsea ahead in the 22nd minute, starting the move with a cushioned header to Mudryk before sprinting into the six-yard box to slot home from the Ukrainian’s cross. After setting up Chelsea’s opener, Mudryk bagged the second himself in the 49th minute with a fierce strike from Neto’s cross.Felix scored again in the 55th minute, putting the result beyond doubt with a 20-yard drive that took a wicked deflection into the net. Nkunku’s 59th minute penalty, awarded for Daniel Mancini’s foul, underlined Chelsea’s superiority. Facundo Pellistri got one back for Panathinaikos with a close-range finish in the 69th minute.Beaten by West Ham and then Olympiakos in the last two Conference League finals, Fiorentina survived a scare in their 4-2 win at St Gallen. The Swiss side took a shock lead through Felix Mambimbi’s 23rd minute goal but Lucas Martinez equalised in the 50th minute.Jonathan Ikone struck for Fiorentina four minutes later before St Gallen’s Lukas Gortler levelled in the 62nd minute. Ikone restored the lead in the 69th minute and Robin Gosens’s stoppage-time goal secured the Serie A team’s second successive victory in the competition.The champions of the Republic of Ireland were too strong for the champions of Northern Ireland as Shamrock Rovers routed Larne 4-1.The first competitive meeting between the two sides was played at Belfast’s Windsor Park because Larne’s Inver Park stadium is not big enough to host Conference League matches.Rovers were on top from the start as Graham Burke’s incisive run teed up Joshua Honohan, who drilled home from eight yards in the third minute. Johnny Kenny headed in Burke’s cross to increase the visitors’ lead in the 24th minute.Tomas Cosgrove’s 30th minute own goal put Rovers in command and Chris Gallagher’s reply three minutes after half-time was swiftly erased as Burke completed the thrashing in the 53rd minute. Hearts also have six points after beating Omonia Nicosia 2-0 at Tynecastle.Alan Forrest and Blair Spittal were the scorers as Hearts ignored their position near the bottom of the Scottish Premiership to build on their opening victory against Dinamo Minsk. It was a second consecutive win for new Hearts boss Neil Critchley, who replaced the sacked Steven Naismith.