It was the Blues who struck first in front of a vocal home crowd, a drilled low finish by Ryan Kavuma-McQueen breaking the deadlock and setting the tone for an entertaining encounter. However, PSV responded well and our Dutch opponents found a way back into the game just two minutes before the interval, with Sami Bouhoudane rising to head home an equaliser.

Chelsea faced a significant challenge after the restart when we were reduced to 10 men, following a straight red card shown to Chizaram Ezenwata. That dismissal left Harry Hudson’s side with plenty of work to do for the remainder of the contest, but the young Blues showed resilience and discipline to see the game through.

With the scores level at full-time, the tie was decided by a penalty shootout. Chelsea held our nerve, converting seven spot-kicks, while goalkeeper Freddy Bernal proved decisive with a crucial save to seal victory and ensure our journey in the UEFA Youth League continues.

Finding our feet

This knockout fixture began at a measured pace at a rain-soaked Cobham, with both sides feeling their way into the contest as they searched for an early breakthrough in difficult conditions.

The Blues carved out the first clear opening of the night when winger Jesse Derry made good use of the flank, bursting forward before cutting the ball back for schoolboy midfielder Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli. His fierce strike from inside the box looked destined for the net, but PSV keeper Stijn Kuijsten reacted sharply to push the effort away and deny Chelsea the lead.

We continued to grow into the game, with Derry a constant outlet down one side and Kavuma-McQueen lively on the opposite wing. The latter received the ball and unleashed a powerful effort towards goal, but the PSV defence stood firm, frustrating the Blues as they struggled to find a way through.

The visitors did threaten at the other end shortly after. Manuel Bahaty worked space down the flank and delivered a dangerous cross that skimmed across the face of goal and rolled just wide of the far post. Play quickly swung back the other way as the tempo increased, with Kavuma-McQueen again testing Kuijsten, drilling an effort on target that forced the goalkeeper into his first serious save of the evening.

As the half-hour mark approached, Derry went close once more, trying his luck from a tight angle with a whipped effort that flashed narrowly wide of the target.

Breaking the deadlock

It felt increasingly like a goal was coming, and when it arrived, it was worth the wait. The breakthrough came when Landon Emenalo delivered a superb cross into the penalty area. Kavuma-McQueen timed his run perfectly and guided a clean, low finish into the back of the net to put the Blues 1-0 ahead.

We nearly doubled our advantage moments later. Derry again supplied the danger with a driven cross, picking out Kavuma-McQueen in front of goal, but his first-time volley drifted just wide of the post.

However, just as we looked set to take a narrow lead into the break, PSV found an equaliser from a set piece. Amir Bouhamdi swung in a dangerous corner and striker Bouhoudane rose highest in the box, powering a header past Bernal to level the score before half-time.

The second half began at a lively tempo, with the Blues looking to restore our lead. Bernal was called into action early when Bouhamdi unleashed a powerful strike from just inside the area, but the Chelsea goalkeeper reacted superbly, diving low to push the effort away and prevent the hosts from falling behind.

Derry then applied a spell of sustained pressure in the final third. His first opportunity came from a free-kick in a promising position, which he whipped just over the crossbar. Moments later, the winger tried his luck again with a driven effort that flashed inches wide of the far post. Although the breakthrough did not arrive, the pressure from the Blues remained encouraging.

Set-back for the Blues

Despite Chelsea’s positive start to the half, the game took an unfortunate turn when the Blues were reduced to 10 men. Ezenwata was sent off following a collision with the onrushing PSV goalkeeper while racing through on goal, the referee showing a straight red card and leaving Chelsea to play the final 20 minutes a man short.

We nearly found a second goal as the match moved into its closing stages. A well-delivered free-kick from Derry dropped to the back post, where Olutayo Subuloye arrived but could not quite make the necessary contact, the ball drifting agonisingly wide.

With three minutes of added time signalled, the Blues dug deep defensively as PSV pushed forward in search of a late winner. However, the Blues held firm and the contest finished level at 1-1, with a penalty shootout required to decide who would progress to the round of 16.

The shootout

Murray-Campbell - Fired the ball into the top-left corner. 1-0.
Bouhamdi - Slotted his penalty into the bottom-left corner. 1-1.Harrison - Hammered the ball straight down the middle. 2-1.
Van Nistelrooij - Sent Bernal the wrong way to equalise. 2-2.Cardoso - Keeper guessed correctly and made the save. 2-2.
Holseter-Karlsen - Bernal also dived the right way to keep it out. 2-2.Derry - Sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, finishing into the bottom-left corner. 3-2.
Bahaty - Converted calmly into the bottom corner. 3-3.Watson - Powered his penalty over the goalkeeper to put the Blues ahead. 4-3.
Bouhoudane - Wrong-footed Bernal to level once more. 4-4.McMahon - Coolly fired into the bottom-left corner. 5-4.
Duran Can - Found the bottom corner to keep PSV alive. 5-5.Emenalo - Sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, finishing into the left corner. 6-5.
Jonkers - Scored as Bernal went the wrong way. 6-6.Subuloye - Drove his penalty into the bottom-right corner. 7-6.
Van der Plas - Bernal dived the right way and made the decisive save!

What it means

Following this result, we will proceed with our journey in the UEFA Youth League competition, moving into the round of 16 in the compeition. The draw will take place on Friday.

The teams

Chelsea (4-3-3): Freddy Bernal; Genesis Antwi, Harrison Murray-Campbell (c), Olutayo Subuloye, Landon Emenalo; Harrison McMahon, Reggie Walsh (Ollie Harrison 79), Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli (Reggie Watson 79); Ryan Kavuma-McQueen (Leo Cardoso 83), Chizaram Ezenwata, Jesse Derry
Unused subs: Hudson Sands, Dante Waite, Lewi Richards, Calvin Diakite, Sol Gordon
Scorer: Kavuma-McQueen 36
Booked: Nicoll-Jazuli 28, Kavuma-McQueen 52, Walsh 52, Derry f-t
Sent off: Ezenwata 69

PSV Eindhoven: Stijn Kuijsten, Yiandro Raap (Sebastien Ditmer 59) (Liam Van Nistelrooij 90+3), Sven van der Plas, Brent Jonkers, Emre Duran Can, Kevin Bizoza, Manuel Bahaty, Benjamin Khaderi, Sami Bouhoudane, Gino Verhulst, Amir Bouhamdi
Unused subs: Kane Aerts, Rens Boon, Jairo Beerens, Philip Holseter-Karlsen, Tije Vos, Dyran Stam, Kyano Penso
Scorer: Bouhoudane 43
Booked: Bizoza 79, Bahaty h-t