Young Chelsea Side Conquers the Cold for a Win in Kazakhstan

Another dominant European night for Chelsea! Check out how the Young Blues snagged a crucial 3-1 win against Astana.

December 12, 2024
6:59 pm

Chelsea kept their perfect record in this season’s UEFA Conference League (UECL) with a solid 3-1 victory over Astana in Almaty, Kazakhstan. This trip was the longest European journey in the club’s history, and the Blues’ young guns braved the freezing temperatures to put on a show.

For any Chelsea fan who grumbled about the long trek to Baku for the 2019 Europa League final, this trip took things to a whole new level. With Astana’s usual stadium getting a makeover, the game was held at Almaty Central Stadium, just under 200 miles from the Chinese border. The round trip racked up over 7,000 miles, and the -11°C weather made it a night to remember—or maybe forget—for those who made the trek.

Luckily, Chelsea’s stellar form in Europe made the chilly conditions a bit more bearable. With knockout-stage qualification already in the bag, manager Enzo Maresca mixed things up, giving some fringe players a chance to shine. Despite the changes, the visitors were in total control from the get-go. Tyrique George almost scored with a curling shot, and Pedro Neto forced a great save from Mukhammedzhan Seysen before Marc Guiu got the party started with a stunning solo run and finish in the 15th minute.

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Chelsea quickly doubled their lead when Aleksandr Marochkin accidentally turned Neto’s cross into his own net. The third goal came before halftime, with Renato Veiga soaring to head in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s perfect corner. While Astana struggled to keep up with Chelsea’s skill and strength, they found a glimmer of hope in first-half stoppage time when captain Marin Tomasov’s precise shot bounced in off the post to cut the deficit.

Astana came out after the break with fresh determination, and Tomasov nearly scored again with a powerful shot that forced Filip Jörgensen to make a save. But Chelsea soon took back control. George, Guiu, and Carney Chukwuemeka all came close to adding to the score, while Dewsbury-Hall just missed the target. In the end, Chelsea’s first-half blitz was more than enough to seal the win.

This victory keeps Chelsea at the top of the UECL league phase table, with their impressive goal difference almost guaranteeing a spot in the top eight. For Astana, this match was always going to be tough, but with four points from five games, they’re still in the hunt for the play-off round.