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Goals from Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell helped Chelsea pick up a 2-0 victory over Porto in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie on Wednesday.
Both legs of the tie will be played at the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan in Seville, owing to COVID-19 travel restrictions, but Porto were designated as the home side in this fixture.
Chelsea came into this clash on the back of a debilitating 5-2 defeat to West Brom at the weekend. Thomas Tuchel made five changes to his starting lineup. Mason Mount, Ben Chilwell, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Kai Havertz were all handed starts against the Portuguese champions.
The two sides started the game at a high tempo, and the first chance of the game fell to Mateus Uribe, who shot narrowly over the post.
Chelsea broke the deadlock just past the half-hour mark through Mason Mount. The England international controlled Jorginho's through-ball with his back to goal and evaded the challenge of Chancel Mbemba before slotting a low shot beyond Agustin Marchesin.
Otavio's audacious attempt at goal directly from a corner-kick was saved on the line by Edouard Mendy, and this proved to be the last goalmouth action in an intriguing first half.
Chelsea had an excellent opportunity to double their lead right at the start of the second period, but Timo Werner headed the ball over from close range. Mendy then produced a stunning save to deny Moussa Marega eight minutes later.
The chance sparked the hosts into life as they continued to create the best chances of the second half. However, Mendy was ready for everything thrown at him.
Porto had a penalty appeal waved away by Slavko Vincic after Marega was seemingly brought down by Cesar Azpilicueta in the box. Replays showed that the Chelsea skipper slightly shoved the Mali international in the back, and he was lucky to escape unpunished.
With the Dragons dominating proceedings in the dying moments, Tuchel made some changes to provide more steel to his side. N'Golo Kante and Thiago Silva came in for Mason Mount and Reece James just before Christian Pulisic struck the post after a driving run.
Chelsea, however, doubled their lead with five minutes to go. A horrendous slip by Jesus Corona allowed Ben Chilwell to run in behind. The defender showed great composure to round Marchesin before slotting into an empty net.
On the overall balance of play, a two-goal victory probably flatters the visitors. They will now turn their attention to the London derby with Crystal Palace this weekend.
Up next for Porto will be a trip to Tondela on Saturday before the return fixture against Chelsea at this same venue next Tuesday.
Here are five talking points from the game.
#5 Chelsea give perfect response to West Brom embarrassment
Chelsea were unbeaten in their first 14 games under Thomas Tuchel, and virtually nobody gave relegation-threatened West Brom a chance against the Blues.
However, an inspired display from Sam Allardyce's men helped them register one of the biggest shocks of the season, and attention was turned to how the Stamford Bridge outfit would respond.
Wednesday's game was a tricky one, to say the least. Not only are Porto the defending Portuguese champions, but they also eliminated Juventus in the last round.
Nevertheless, an inspired Chelsea performance saw them pick up a crucial victory which put them in good stead for a first UCL semi-final appearance in seven years.
Despite not performing at an optimum, the West Londoners went back to the basics that have made them so hard to beat under Tuchel. It was far from convincing, but they ultimately got the job done.
#4 The absence of Sergio Oliveira hurt Porto
Sergio Oliveira has been the standout player for Porto this season and is currently the club's highest goalscorer for the campaign.
The 28-year-old played a starring role in the victory over Juventus, scoring the two away goals that helped the Primeira Liga side secure their spot in the last eight.
However, a yellow card in the first half of extra-time in that fixture ruled him out of this clash. His absence, alongside that of the red-carded Mehdi Taremi, robbed Porto of two of their biggest goal threats.
Porto were the more threatening side and created more chances throughout the game. Had Oliveira and - to a lesser extent - Taremi been present, it is highly likely that they would have converted one of the big chances they created.
#3 Another forgettable display from Chelsea's marquee Germans
Timo Werner and Kai Havertz were handed starts by the Chelsea manager, but the expensive duo once again failed to step up to the plate.
Havertz was largely on the periphery of the game. Apart from a brief period at the start of the match when he seized the initiative, there were not too many moments of quality from the Germany international.
The story was not much different for his compatriot, who should have done better from an unmarked header at the back post two minutes into the second half.
Werner was indecisive in the final third and cut a frustrating figure for most of the game, and the same was also applicable to Havertz.
It came as no surprise when Thomas Tuchel hauled the duo off in the 65th minute, with Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud coming on in their stead to add more bite in attack.
#2 Ben Chilwell sends statement of intent to the Chelsea boss
Thomas Tuchel has shown a preference for Marcos Alonso in the left wing-back role for most of his tenure as Chelsea manager.
The Spain international was frozen out in the final months of Frank Lampard's tenure but has enjoyed a new lease of life under Tuchel.
However, against Porto, Alonso was dropped to the bench in place of Ben Chilwell, and the former Leicester City man gave a performance deserving of the high fee Chelsea paid to procure him.
The 24-year-old showed his defensive capacity with four clearances and three tackles. He also showed great composure and technique to score the second goal that gave the Blues more control in this tie.
With his performance on the night, Chilwell has undeniably boosted his chances of nailing down a regular spot in the starting lineup.
#1 Mason Mount silences critics yet again
Mason Mount was one of the success stories of Frank Lampard's tenure as Chelsea manager, having progressed from the club's academy to the first team by route of a loan spell at Derby County.
However, for all of his bright displays, the 22-year-old still has many detractors, with several fans criticizing Lampard for his overdependence on the England international.
Any criticism of Mount's overall game comes from a place of naivety as he continues to quell dissenting voices on a weekly basis.
Having sat out the first game of Tuchel's spell, it did not take the German tactician long to figure out that Mount is one of the most important players in the squad. He has been one of the 'untouchables' since then.
He stepped off the bench to find the back of the net against West Brom last weekend and followed that up with another goal against Porto.
The technique and finesse needed to pull off the skill in the buildup to the goal made a mockery of those who suggested that Mason Mount was too limited in his skillset.
Mount should also have had an assist to go with his goal. However, Werner somehow managed to fluff his lines with an unmarked header from the Englishman's precise cross.
