Guiu stars as second-string Chelsea stay good with Astana win

Marc Guiu scored twice as a youthful Chelsea aspect beat Astana 3-1 in Kazakhstan to increase their good file within the UEFA Convention League to 5 video games.

Enzo Maresca rested the vast majority of his first-team squad for the 16-hour spherical journey as he handed a bunch of academy merchandise their senior debuts.

It was 18-year-old summer time signing Marc Guiu who opened the scoring for the Blues with a implausible solo purpose after a dynamic run down the guests’ proper.

The Spaniard’s second simply 4 minutes later was barely much less glamorous as he bundled dwelling from shut vary following some good work from Pedro Neto out broad.

When Renato Veiga headed dwelling Chelsea’s third on the 39-minute mark, issues appeared ominous for Astana, however that was to be the Blues’ closing purpose of the sport.

The house aspect’s captain Marin Tomasov then surprised Maresca’s males simply earlier than the interval as he minimize in onto his left foot and rifled a strike in off the upright to scale back their deficit.

Astana made a greater contest of issues within the second half as Chelsea appeared so as to add a fourth however the scoreline remained because it was, sending the Blues three factors clear on the summit of the standings.

Chelsea all however secured their place within the final 16, relying on outcomes elsewhere this night, however with a house tie in opposition to Shamrock Rovers to conclude the league section, Maresca will probably be hoping to high the standings with a sixth victory in six.

As for Astana, they continue to be in twenty fourth, one place above the elimination zone and will probably be hoping to safe a spot within the play-offs with a win over APOEL on Matchday 6.

With a 16 hour spherical journey to play a match in 5 time zones forward of the UK and in temperatures of -11C, Maresca would have been grateful for the luxurious of with the ability to depart Chelsea’s key males at dwelling.

The Italian has used Europe’s third-tier competitors as a method of rotation this season with the likes of Cole Palmer, Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia not included by any means in Chelsea’s group section squad.

However the Blues’ 4 wins from their opening 4 fixtures meant he might go even additional for the journey to Astana as he took solely six of the gamers to characteristic within the squad throughout the 4-3 win in opposition to Tottenham on the weekend.

In the meantime, the one participant to start out each ties was Neto and this was solely due to his yellow card in north London which dominated him out of Chelsea’s Premier League tie with Brentford on Sunday.

This allowed Maresca at hand a full debut to highly-rated academy graduate Joshua Acheampong, who had just lately been frozen out of all Chelsea groups as a consequence of uncertainty over his future, however he impressed with an assured efficiency in defence.

The Chelsea boss additionally gave senior debuts to Kiano Dyer, Sam Rak-Sakyi, Ato Ampah and Shumaira Mheuka.

As has been the case all season in Europe, Maresca has been in a position to strike an ideal stability by resting his key males for the Premier League and handing out invaluable minutes to different members of the membership, all whereas sustaining an ideal file.

A quiet second half however Guiu appeared actually vigorous within the opening interval. It was an outstanding purpose to present Chelsea the lead and a poachers end for his second. He appeared more likely to bag a first-half hat-trick however was denied a few instances and needed to accept a brace.

Astana: Seysen 7; Bartolec 7, Kazukolovas 6, Marochkin 5, Vorogovskiy 6; Amanovic 5, Ebong 6, Kalaica 6; Tomasov 7, Geoffrey 5, Camara 6. Subs: Karimov 5, Osei 6, Gripshi N/A, Astanov N/A.

Chelsea: Jorgensen 6; Acheampong 7, Disasi 6, Tosin 6, Veiga 7; Rak-Sakyi 7, Dewsbury-Corridor 7; Neto 7, Chukwuemeka 6, George 7; Guiu 8*. Subs: Vale 6, Ampah 5, Mheuka N/A, Dyer N/A.

14′ – GOAL! ASTANA 0-1 CHELSEA (GUIU): Guiu is fed into the suitable channel and stands up Marochkin earlier than beating him on the surface. He drives into the field and slots dwelling previous Seysen together with his proper foot on the close to publish.

19′ – GOAL! ASTANA 0-2 CHELSEA (GUIU): And similar to that it’s two! Neto picks it up on the suitable and beats his man on the surface with a burst of tempo earlier than squaring the ball throughout the six-yard field. Seysen will get a contact on it however it rebounds off Guiu who can bundle dwelling from shut vary.

39′ – GOAL! ASTANA 0-3 CHELSEA (VEIGA): Dewsbury-Corridor takes the nook from the suitable and his inswinging supply finds the pinnacle of Veiga who nods dwelling into the underside proper nook, comparatively unchallenged.

45′ – GOAL! ASTANA 1-3 CHELSEA (TOMASOV): Astana make the stress pay as they get themselves an exquisite purpose! The captain Tomasov picks it up in the suitable of the realm and cuts in earlier than firing a robust left-footed effort off the far left publish and in.

9 of the gamers Chelsea used this night have been 21 years of age or under.