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This time Chelsea had the attacking talent to go with defensive stability. Roman Abramovich picked a good time to see a Frank Lampard team in competitive action for the first time. Secured from back to front, Chelsea fought back for a third clean sheet in a row and made their class show on the other end, sweeping FC Krasnodar aside for their first Group E win.
The first wobbles gave way to control at the end. Callum Hudson-Odoi’s first goal of the season calmed the nerves and while Krasnodar threatened on a couple of occasions, Chelsea left last, with Hakim Ziyech finishing off a fine display by scoring his first goal for the club.
Perhaps it was understandable that Chelsea took time to adjust to the unusual sight of 11,000 fans on the field, some of them wearing masks under their mouths as they urged the Russians to continue. It felt like a mental challenge for a team that has been playing Premier League matches in empty stadiums since June and there were times during the early stages when Chelsea seemed a bit taken aback by reminders of the old normal, leading to him gave the public a reason to appear. the volume while Krasnodar chased an unexpected surprise.
It was too erratic for the visitors. A slow pace allowed Krasnodar to maintain solid form at the rear for the first 30 minutes and the lack of urgency on the ball came with risks, especially when Kai Havertz staggered into a dangerous area after four minutes, allowing Daniil Utkin to force Edouard. Mendy to make a great save.
Perhaps it is a style issue with Havertz, a languid fellow who has been in and out of games since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen. For one thing, the mistake that led to Utkin’s opportunity reminded him of Havertz getting into trouble and giving away a goal to Danny Ings in Chelsea’s 3-3 draw with Southampton earlier this month. However, it was difficult to be overly critical of the German attacker after he provided a demonstration of his ability to move into space five minutes before halftime, spinning on the edge of the area and creating the first Hudson-Odoi goal.
It was a great moment for Hudson-Odoi, who had a unique opportunity on the left wing. Under pressure to impress, the youngster delivered ruthlessness after receiving a pass from Havertz, passing the ball to his right foot before getting lucky with a shot that twisted under Matvei Safanov, the 21-year-old Krasnodar goalkeeper before throwing a spoon into the net.
Led by Bayern Munich in the latest transfer window, Hudson-Odoi knows the competition for attacking spots is fierce after Chelsea passed last summer. The 19-year-old doesn’t just have to face Havertz, who could have doubled the lead with a free header after another Safanov error. Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount waited on the bench, and for a while Hudson-Odoi was left in the shade by the petite figure amusing himself on the opposite flank.
Ziyech shone in his first start for Chelsea. Eager to make up for lost time after recovering from a knee injury, the former Ajax winger was full of inventiveness. He put Safanov to the test after a twisty run and proved his ability to open a defense in the 13th minute, cutting off his left foot before releasing César Azpilicueta, whose pass to Timo Werner led to Kaio conceding a penalty with an awkward free kick. on the striker. .
Abramovich, who assumed Israeli citizenship after his application for a new UK visa was rejected in 2018, prepared to celebrate when he watched his first match live against Chelsea since a friendly against RB Salzburg in 2018. Jorginho he followed his usual penalty shootout routine. , hopping, hopping, waiting for the goalie to move first. Safonov obeyed, diving the wrong way. He got away when the ball hit the opposite post.
The debauchery of Jorginho, who also missed a penalty against Liverpool last month, sparked a losing streak for Chelsea. Krasnodar held firm, even though they did not have several key players. The exhausted hosts were encouraged by Chelsea’s fight to kill the game and almost tied when Yuri Gazinsky hit the crossbar early in the second half.
With Thiago Silva resting at home, Chelsea needed Antonio Rudiger to shine in central defense after receiving his first appearance of the season. They woke up after that scare and restored order after presenting N’Golo Kante, Mount and Pulisic, who won another penalty after his shot that was handled by Aleksandr Martnovich. This time Werner threw the ball home.
Krasnodar fell apart and there was time for Werner to combine with Ziyech, he slipped away before finishing calmly. Abramovich was a happy man and there was more cause for joy when Pulisic pressed a quarter in overtime.
