Chelsea confirmed their spot in the last 16 of the Conference League by beating Astana 3-1 in bitterly cold conditions. (More Football News)
A temperature of -10 degrees was recorded in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where the match was🗹 hosted, but it🌃 did not bother the Blues
Chelsea confirmed their spot in the last 16 of the Conference League by beating Astana 3-1 in bitterly cold conditions. (More Football News)
A temperature of -10 degrees was recorded in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where the ♔match was hosted, but it did not bother the Blu💎es.
Marc Guiu got the visitors off to a good start, dribbling inside from the right📖 and firing into the net afte🐭r 14 minutes.
Enzo Maresca's 🌃side doubled their lead via an Aleksandr Marochkin own goal four minutes later, before Renato Veiga's header made it three.
Ma𝔍rin Tomasov pulled one back for Astana just before the break, ;but it was never likely ෴to be enough.
The Blues cruised through the second half with a serenity that summed up their progress in the competition so far, w💛ith Maresca able to hand opportunities to several youngsters.
Data Debrief: No hassle for much-changed Blues
I🌊t was a positive night for Chelsea's young talent, with four teenagers (Josh Acheam☂pong, Samuel Rak-Sakyi, Tyrique George and Guiu) named in a starting XI for the first time in their history.
Al♒l four had the opportunity to shine during a game when Che🍰lsea were superior to their opponents.
Former Barcelona attacker Guiu sꦦcored the opener in exciting fashion and his dribbling ability was clear to see throughout the contest, while George was also a threat from the left. Veiga, meanwhile, had a team-leading five attempts, wh🐽ile Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall created four chances each.
Maresca gav🐷e more youngst🐬ers playing time in the second half, benefitting both them and the Blues' first-teamers, who rested up for Sunday's Premier League clash with Brentford.