Match report: Astana 1-3 Chelsea | News | Official Site

The Blues made gentle work of the subzero temperatures in what was comfortably our furthest European journey ever. Marc Guiu opened the scoring earlier than enjoying his half in Aleksandr Marochkin’s own-goal quickly after to set us on our approach, together with his solo strike for the primary a very eye-catching effort.

Chelsea continued to dominate and we deservedly prolonged our benefit via Renato Veiga’s second aim on this competitors, a robust header from Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor’s nook.

Our Kazakh hosts had a second to cheer earlier than the break when Marin Tomasov curled a tremendous strike past Filip Jorgensen’s attain, however in any other case the Blues have been largely snug in making it 5 from 5 on this competitors’s league section.

There was added satisfaction for Enzo Maresca as he was in a position to give three children – Ato Ampah, Shumaira Mheuka and Kiano Dyer – their Chelsea debuts off the bench, whereas Samuel Rak-Sakyi and Tyrique George have been two of our brightest performers having featured from the off.

Full debut and European bow

With a much-changed squad travelling to Kazakhstan, the headline crew information earlier than kick-off was the number of midfielder Rak-Sakyi for his full Chelsea debut, with Josh Acheampong additionally making his maiden senior begin.

Carney Chukwuemeka begun a recreation for the primary time since August 2023, whereas George was within the XI, too. Pedro Neto was the only real participant to retain his place within the crew, within the data he’s suspended for Sunday’s go to of Brentford. He lined up on the correct flank with George on the other facet.

The bench will go down as one of the inexperienced in Chelsea historical past. Of our 9 subs, solely Harvey Vale had performed for our senior crew earlier than. He got here on, as did three debutants.

It’s onerous to overstate simply how chilly the Almaty Ortalyk Stadion was at kick-off, however the Blues confirmed no signal of letting the subfreezing temperatures have an effect on us early on.

Guiu will get going early

On 4 minutes, George danced infield and curled a shot simply over, earlier than Neto signalled his intent with a low drive Astana keeper Mukhammejan Seisen acquired down effectively to parry.

Chelsea seized management of the competition with a pair of Guiu objectives both facet of the quarter-hour mark. The primary stemmed from a burst down the correct and what adopted was a composed end previous Seisen at his close to publish.

Astana had barely recovered when it appeared as if Guiu had made it two, this time benefitting from Neto’s velocity, ability and exact crossing. The Spaniard appeared to have bundled the ball house from shut vary however it was recorded as an own-goal by Marochkin.

A Neto piledriver pressured a superb low cease from Seisen, and Veiga then stole in across the again from his compatriot’s cross, however couldn’t direct his half-volley on course. The identical went for a ferocious close-range Guiu strike as he tried to finish a fast hat-trick.

On 36 minutes, with their first assault of observe, Charles Chinedu tried his luck from vary. It was snug for Filip Jorgensen.

Renato rises highest

Again Chelsea got here. Acheampong acquired locals and travelling followers alike excited with a dart into the world from deep earlier than seeing his low shot blocked. A Chukwuemeka strike was stored out by Seisen, however from the ensuing nook we did make it 3-0. Veiga rose unchallenged to move in Dewsbury-Corridor’s inswinging supply.

Earlier than the break, Astana acquired a aim again in opposition to the run of play. It was a tremendous end, too, the hosts’ captain Tomasov bending a lovely strike previous Jorgensen and in off the publish. Nonetheless, this had very a lot been Chelsea’s half.

For the second interval, Maresca despatched on Ampah for his Blues debut, as Neto made approach.

Astana began with some gusto however earlier than lengthy Chelsea have been threatening once more. Chukwuemeka was thwarted as soon as extra by Astana’s stopper, with George’s try to fireside house the unfastened ball in useless as a yellow shirt acquired in the way in which.

Seeing it out

That was Chukwuemeka’s final contribution of observe as he was changed by Vale halfway via the second half. The tempo of the sport had slowed, however George was all the time keen to inject some power together with his direct working down the left.

Dewsbury-Corridor, a busy presence in midfield, drilled a shot from the sting of the field simply vast. He was now comfortably the senior statesman in our entrance six.

That remained the case when Mheuka changed Guiu to affix Ampah in making his Chelsea debut and turning into our second-youngest participant to function in European competitors within the course of.

Dewsbury-Corridor had a superb late alternative so as to add a fourth in entrance of the hardy travelling help, however ultimately discovered the angle too slim to get a shot away. It mattered not, as as soon as once more within the Convention League, Chelsea had acquired the job performed with the minimal of fuss.

What it means…

We won’t contest a play-off in February now that our prime eight place is safe, as a substitute awaiting a victor within the Spherical of 16 in March.

What’s subsequent…

We host Brentford at Stamford Bridge within the Premier League on Sunday on the later time of 7pm GMT. Our remaining inserting within the league section of the Convention League will then be decided per week right this moment once we tackle Shamrock Rovers.

Chelsea(4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Acheampong, Tosin, Disasi (c), Veiga; Dewsbury-Corridor, Rak-Sakyi (Dyer 86); Pedro Neto (Ampah 46), Chukwuemeka (Vale 67), George; Guiu (Mheuka 78)
Unused subs: Bergstrom, Merrick, Murray-Campbell, Olise, Wilson
Scorers: Guiu 14, 18, Veiga 39

Astana (4-2-3-1): Seisen; Bartolec, Kazukolovas, Marochkin, Vorogovskiy; Amanovic (Osei 46), Kalaica; Tomasov (c) (Gripshi 88), Ebonh, Camara (Astanov 90+2); Chinedu (Karimov 73)
Unused subs: Zarutskiy, Condric, Bystrov, Kuat, Ahanonu, Beisebekov, Basmanov, Zhaksylyk
Scorer: Tomasov 45

Referee Sven Jablonski from Germany
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