Chelsea secured a narrow but important 1-0 home victory over Pafos FC in the UEFA Champions League on January 22, 2026. This result in the first leg of their knockout round playoff tie gave the English side a slender advantage to take to Cyprus. In a match where Chelsea were expected to dominate, they faced a well-organized and disciplined Pafos defense that proved difficult to break down. The decisive moment came in the second half when Chelsea's winger cut inside and fired a low shot that took a deflection to beat the goalkeeper. Pafos FC grew in confidence as the game wore on and had a late chance to snatch an away goal, but their effort sailed over the bar. While the performance was not convincing, the win without conceding an away goal was a positive outcome for Chelsea, who knew the job was only half done ahead of the tricky second leg.