Chelsea seal European spot with final-day win

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Chelsea 2-1 Bournemouth

Moises Caicedo scored from the halfway line – his first goal for Chelsea – as the Blues sealed a European place.

Raheem Sterling also scored for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, who finished sixth in the Premier League table.

London rivals Tottenham won at Sheffield United in their final match to hold on to fifth place and qualify for the Europa League.

Chelsea will join Spurs in that tournament if league champions Manchester City beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final. A United win would send the Blues into the Uefa Conference League.

It has been a strong end to a difficult first season at the helm for boss Pochettino – Chelsea ended the campaign with fifth consecutive wins.

They took a first-half lead in incredible fashion, with Caicedo firing in from distance after Bournemouth keeper Neto had given the ball away.

Sterling netted three minutes into the second half, finishing at the near post after a one-two with Cole Palmer.

The lead was halved straightaway, when Benoît Badiashile tried to block Enes Unal’s shot but deflected the ball into his own net.

Dominic Solanke missed a golden late chance to equalise against his former club when he shot over from close range.

Chelsea: Petrovic; Chalobah, Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella; Caicedo (Ugochukwu 64), Gallagher; Madueke (Gusto 64), Palmer (Casadei 89), Sterling (Nkunku 64); Jackson.
Subs not used: Bettinelli, Disasi, Colwill, Gilchrist, Chukwuemeka.