Chelsea extended their perfect record in the Conference League with a 3-1 over Astana in Kazakhstan, booking their place in the knockout stages.
It was a youthful side named by Enzo Maresca, with the majority of his first-team squad spared the eight-hour flight and temperatures dropping below minus-ten degrees. Chelsea proved too good even with all those changes, with the match effectively wrapped up before half-time. Marc Guiu scored twice in the space of five minutes, the first a brilliant run and finish and the second more fortunate, as the goalkeeper parried it out and the ball bounced off the striker and in.
Renato Veiga added a third for Chelsea, heading in from a corner, and while Astana captain Marin Tomasov pulled one back with a superb strike before the break, a comeback never felt likely. It leaves the final league-phase match at home to Shamrock Rovers as almost certainly a dead-rubber for Chelsea, allowing Maresca to once again give plenty of minutes to his academy stars.
Astana vs Chelsea latest news
- GOAL! Tomasov pulls one back for hosts
- GOAL! Veiga adds third before HT
- GOAL! Second for Guiu
- GOAL! Guiu gives Chelsea
FT: Astana 1-3 Chelsea
17:22 , Matt VerriOfficials take pity on the players and that’s full-time.
Chelsea have their fifth straight win in the Conference League, that seals their place in the last-16.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
17:18 , Matt Verri88 mins: Long throw for Astana, do they have a Rory Delap in their ranks?
It’s decent, but Tosin is there at the near post to head it out.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
17:15 , Matt Verri85 mins: Dewsbury-Hall dances his way into the box, it completely opens up for him.
Tries to be too clever in going around the goalkeeper, overruns it and the chance goes.
Dyer is on for Chelsea, replacing Rak-Sakyi.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
17:14 , Matt Verri83 mins: Mheuka picks out George, who has repeatedly gone for goal tonight when given half a chance.
That’s not about to change here, but again the shot is charged down. And he was offside.
Apart from that...
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
17:10 , Matt Verri80 mins: Mheuka on for his senior debut up front.
No hat-trick for Guiu but a successful night regardless.
At the other end, Chelsea get themselves into a real mess at the back. Shot is eventually blocked, offside flag up anyway.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
17:06 , Matt Verri76 mins: Think both teams would be delighted if the referee blew the final whistle right now.
Pace of the match has slowed right down. Ampah has another chance to run, but it’s a heavy touch and he loses the ball.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
17:02 , Matt Verri72 mins: Does feel like a fourth Chelsea goal is coming.
Dewsbury-Hall on his left foot, space opens up 20 yards out and he lets fly. Whistles just wide of the far post.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
16:59 , Matt Verri69 mins: Corner for Chelsea, as Vale’s flicked effort very nearly brings a goal about ten seconds after coming on.
Disasi wins the header at the back post, but he’s climbing all over his man and the whistle goes.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
16:57 , Matt Verri67 mins: Maresca turns to his bench again.
Chukwuemeka’s night is done, he’s replaced by Vale for the final 25 minutes or so.
Vale the only player on the Chelsea bench who had made a senior appearance for the club before this match.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
16:56 , Matt Verri66 mins: Guiu keeps making that run in behind, Chelsea haven’t been able to pick him out this half though.
Ampah out wide on the right, gets the cross all wrong and it’s straight out play.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
16:53 , Matt Verri63 mins: Chelsea firmly back in charge now.
Chukwuemeka gets played in behind, shot is smothered. Rebound falls for George, goes round the goalkeeper but Astana have bodies back on the line to clear.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
16:48 , Matt Verri58 mins: Astana free-kick, chance for them to lump something into the box.
Decent enough ball in, but they can’t get the flick on and the danger passes.
For all Chelsea have been by miles the better team, they are one Astana goal from this getting a lot more nervy.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
16:45 , Matt Verri55 mins: Chelsea slowly things down a bit, keeping the ball at the back under no pressure.
George very nearly injects a bit of pace into things with the run in behind, pass to him is underhit though.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
16:42 , Matt Verri52 mins: Tomasov nearly does it again!
Chelsea need to stop him getting on his left foot. This time 25 yards out and he lashes an effort at goal, Jorgensen not hugely convincing in sticking out a hand and turning it away.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
16:40 , Matt Verri50 mins: Chinedu twists and turns, works space for the shot.
Did have options at the back post, but goes for maximum power and Jorgensen can claim comfortably enough.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
16:37 , Matt Verri47 mins: Ampah on for Chelsea, replacing Neto who was about six classes above the Astana defence.
Plenty on that Chelsea bench who will be desperate to come on and make their debuts here.
Back underway!
16:35 , Matt VerriUp and running in the second-half.
Home fans with something to cheer...
16:22 , Matt VerriHere is that goal from Tomasov.
Astana captain took matters into his own hands... might want to keep doing that.
What a strike 💥
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 12, 2024
Astana get a goal back just before half-time with a cracker from Tomasov 🔥
Game on...?
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/10kjvpc29S
HT: Astana 1-3 Chelsea
16:19 , Matt VerriAnd that’s half-time.
Chelsea were utterly dominant for 44 minutes, as Guiu scored twice and Veiga added a third.
Tomasov’s goal out of nowhere has pulled one back for Astana, but Maresca won’t be particularly concerned.
Astana 1-3 Chelsea
16:17 , Matt Verri45+1 mins: Two minutes added on.
Chelsea straight back on the front foot. Veiga tackled just as he looked set to charge into the box.
GOAL! Astana 1-3 Chelsea | Marin Tomasov 45'
16:16 , Matt VerriI am available for all jinxing assignments.
Astana captain Tomasov has curled a superb finish into the far corner, didn’t look like he had the space to that.
Astana 0-3 Chelsea
16:14 , Matt Verri43 mins: Ball whipped into the Chelsea box, but Acheampong and Neto combine to clear.
Astana have not been very good, to put it extremely generously.
Too easy for Chelsea
16:12 , Matt VerriFrom how much we focused on the temperature in the build-up, you would have thought the most challenging part of this assignment was going to be the conditions, rather than the opponent, writes Malik Ouzia.
And you know what? You’d have been right.
GOAL! Astana 0-3 Chelsea | Renato Veiga 39'
16:11 , Matt VerriThree before half-time!
Dewsbury-Hall with the corner, Veiga allowed to get up basically unchallenged and he heads in from six yards out.
Astana 0-2 Chelsea
16:09 , Matt Verri38 mins: Brilliant run from Acheampong, so powerful as he just strolls away from the challenges and into the box.
Shot from a tight angle is blocked, but that’s a little glimpse of why he’s so highly-rated.
Chukwuemeka the latest to try his luck, deflected and just about turned behind by Seysen.
Astana 0-2 Chelsea
16:07 , Matt Verri36 mins: Well... he’s getting closer.
It’s a decent move from Astana, Chinedu is the spare man on the left and it’s rolled into his path.
Tries to place it, and places it perfectly in Jorgensen’s gloves.
Astana 0-2 Chelsea
16:04 , Matt Verri33 mins: Watch out, an Astana attack.
The fans can barely believe it and neither can Chinedu, it would appear. Wild hack at the ball from 25 yards out and it’s miles wide.
Astana 0-2 Chelsea
16:01 , Matt Verri30 mins: Guiu wants his hat-trick.
Neto with the ball forward, Guiu just barges his man out the way and gets the shot away from a tight angle. Blazed over.
I dare say that won’t be his last chance.
Astana 0-2 Chelsea
15:58 , Matt Verri27 mins: Guiu rolling around, he looks in a lot of pain.
Amanovic it was who caught him late, yellow card for the Astana midfielder.
Might have been a clash of knees - not really want you want when it’s -10C.
Astana 0-2 Chelsea
15:57 , Matt Verri26 mins: Approaching the stage where the Chelsea players are losing interest in passing to each other. All of them want to score.
Neto does find a generous bone in his body and clips a lovely cross to the back post.
Veiga is there, Guiu in the middle waiting for a tap-in but Veiga can only loop the ball over the bar.
Astana 0-2 Chelsea
15:54 , Matt Verri23 mins: Neto allowed to drive inside, plays the one-two and has space for the shot from 20 yards out.
Lashed at goal, goalkeeper just about gets down in time and then collects at the second attempt as Guiu charges in.
Astana 0-2 Chelsea
15:52 , Matt Verri21 mins: Veiga has a shot charged down - Astana are in danger of getting absolutely hammered here.
Their best hope is that the pitch freezes over. And quickly.
Neto enjoying himself
15:51 , Matt VerriIt must be absolutely impossible to defend on this, writes Malik Ouzia.
Neto just breezes past his man, who can’t get the acceleration off the slippery deck.
GOAL! Astana 0-2 Chelsea | Marc Guiu 18'
15:50 , Matt VerriNot sure he got the final touch, but Guiu is claiming it!
Chelsea already on their way to another easy win.
Neto skips to the byline, flashes the ball across the face of goal and it’s bundled in. Guiu basically fell at it... goalkeeper turned it onto Guiu’s side and in.
Astana 0-1 Chelsea
15:48 , Matt Verri18 mins: Home fans getting excited every time Astana move into the Chelsea half.
Unfortunately that dies down after about six seconds on almost every occasion, as they then lose the ball.
Guiu takes chance
15:47 , Matt VerriMarc Guiu missed an absolute hatful of chances in the opening 15 minutes against Heidenheim last month but he’s made that one all for himself, writes Malik Ouzia.
Terrific.
GOAL! Astana 0-1 Chelsea | Marc Guiu 14'
15:45 , Matt VerriChelsea take the lead!
And Guiu does it all by himself. Bursts on the outside down the right wing, into the box and tucks away the finish at the near post.
Marochkin showed him a bit of space and that was enough.
Neto unfortunate...
15:44 , Matt VerriPedro Neto, bless him, writes Malik Ouzia.
Had he not been booked against Tottenham on Sunday he’s probably be watching this on his sofa in a pair of slippers.
Instead, he’s having shots saved by a goalie in a wooly hat.
Astana 0-0 Chelsea
15:41 , Matt Verri10 mins: Chukwuemeka down in the box, was he caught?
Referee not interested, but VAR having a long check. Players thrilled to be waiting around for this.
Eventually play is waved on, no penalty.
Astana 0-0 Chelsea
15:39 , Matt Verri8 mins: Neto in behind, lovely ball inside the Astana defence.
Chops onto his left foot, tries to drag the finish inside the near post but Seysen is down well to save.
Astana 0-0 Chelsea
15:35 , Matt Verri4 mins: Free-kick taken short, George is allowed to drive into the box.
Works it onto his right foot, space for the shot and it’s curled wide of the far post.
Can confirm the Astana goalkeeper is very much still wearing his beanie.
Astana 0-0 Chelsea
15:34 , Matt Verri3 mins: Chelsea dominating the ball already, as you’d expect.
Astana sitting in, resisting the urge to press and warm themselves up. Very admirable.
Chukwuemeka with a sharp turn just outside the Astana area, free-kick as he’s tripped.
KICK-OFF!
15:31 , Matt VerriWe’re up and running!
The Astana goalkeeper is wearing a wooly hat and he does not have the look of a man who plans on taking it off.
Disasi cannot get the handshakes done quick enough, can’t be standing around for too long.
Would do well to find 22 players looking more miserable with life.
Trust in the teenagers!
15:27 , Matt VerriEnzo Maresca turning to youth tonight...
4 - In Josh Acheampong, Samuel Rak-Sakyi, Tyrique George and Marc Guiu, @ChelseaFC are starting four teenagers in a match in major European competition for the very first time. Kicks. #ASTCHE
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 12, 2024
Here we go...
15:24 , Matt VerriPlayers will be in the tunnel in the next couple of minutes.
Sure they’re all absolutely desperate to go back outside and take of their tracksuit tops...
Chelsea boss not concerned by temperature
15:16 , Matt VerriMaresca has no real interest in talking about the temperature either.
He’s been asked ahead of kick-off about whether the conditions, dropping below -10C, could have an impact on the game.
“We have to be ready,” is the response with a smile.
Maresca plays down favourite tag
15:06 , Matt VerriEnzo Maresca was asked yesterday if Chelsea are favourites to win this competition.
Yes, is the answer, but he opted for something a bit more neutral.
Maresca said: "I've said many times already about this competition; the main target is to get to the next stage, and then the next one.
“Then when we achieve the next one, the target is to get to the next one. I don't like to think about four or five months ahead."
Acheampong nears new Chelsea contract
14:53 , Matt VerriJosh Acheampong is one of the most highly-rated young talents to emerge from the Chelsea academy in recent seasons, but has recently been frozen out over a contact dispute.
The full-back has 18 months left on his existing deal and the Blues are keen for him to commit his future.
In a bid to force the issue, the club told Acheampong he would not be considered for selection while the stand-off continued and he has not been part of a first-team squad since coming off the bench in the September’s Carabao Cup tie against Barrow.
The 18-year-old was also left out of the club’s U21 side for the best part of three months until returning to the fold against Derby at the end of the November.
While no agreement has yet been reached over a new contract, negotiations are heading in the right direction and Acheampong has recently been reintegrated into Enzo Maresca’s first-team squad.
The Chelsea boss said yesterday: “With Josh it’s quite clear. We all love Josh. The club loves Josh. I love Josh. And we are trying to find an agreement with the players. We are close. We are almost there.”
In the building!
14:42 , Matt VerriHere’s a look inside the stadium with just under an hour to go until kick-off.
Axel Disasi was speaking yesterday about wearing two pairs of gloves - think we might be a bit beyond that stage.
A cold night at Almaty Ortalyk Stadium. 🏟️❄️#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/XHLt5ea9ms
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 12, 2024
Felix absence offers opportunity
14:36 , Matt VerriJoao Felix’s unplanned absence paved the way for one more youngster to slot into Enzo Maresca’s team this afternoon and it’s Samuel Rak-Sakyi who gets the nod to make his first Chelsea start, writes Malik Ouzia.
With Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George are also in the lineup, it’s three Cobham graduates.
Two Chelsea debutants
14:29 , Matt VerriBig occasion for Samuel Rak-Sakyi and Josh Acheampong, who make their full debuts for Chelsea.
Tyrique George also starts, while it’s a very, very inexperienced bench.
Of those named as substitutes for this match, Harvey Vale is the only with a senior appearance for the Blues.
Astana team news
14:26 , Matt VerriStarting XI: Seisen, Bartolec, Kalaica, Kazukolovas, Vorogovskiy, Ebonh, Chinedu, Tomasov, Marochkin, Camara, Amanovic
Subs: Zarutskiy, Condric, Bystrov, Kuat, Ahanonu, Beisebekov, Osei, Astanov, Basmanov, Gripshi, Karimov, Zhaksylyk
Chelsea team news
14:21 , Matt VerriStarting XI: Jorgensen; Acheampong, Disasi, Tosin, Veiga; Rak-Sakyi, Dewsbury-Hall, Chukwuemeka; Neto, Guiu, George
Subs: Bergstrom, Merrick, Dyer, Vale, Olise, Ampah, Murray-Campbell, Wilson, Mheuka
Stand by!
14:16 , Matt VerriShould be getting all the team news in the next couple of minutes.
Will be very interesting to see how many youngsters Maresca throws in from the start...
Chelsea youngsters out to shine in Kazakhstan
14:06 , Matt VerriNo fewer than a dozen academy products have been drafted in to bolster the Chelsea squad.
Here’s what you need to know about them...
Richard Olise
Two nights after brother Michael was tearing it up for Bayern Munich in the Champions League, the younger Olise will be hoping for his own taste of European action.
Now 20, the right-back joined Chelsea at the age of eight and, unlike his brother - who also played for Arsenal, Manchester City and Reading at youth level - has continued his development at Cobham.
Kaiden Wilson
Bristolian was spotted playing in an U14 tournament in his hometown and invited to join the Chelsea academy.
A key part of the U18 side that finished top of the Premier League South last season, has since made the step up to U21 level and scored his first goal in last month’s win over Derby.
Stage is set!
13:51 , Matt VerriIt looks... cold.
Our final European away day of 2024. 🇰🇿#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/4pdbdyoE0Z
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 12, 2024
Inside Chelsea's trip to Kazakhstan
13:42 , Matt VerriOn Wednesday morning at Cobham, Maresca was putting his squad through their paces in conditions that soon came to feel balmy.
This afternoon, Chelsea will step out to face Kazakhstani side Astana in temperatures that could plummet to as low as -11 degrees.
It could, believe it or not, have been worse. One forecast had temperatures in the city of Astana itself hitting lows of -18 degrees this week, but the game will instead be played 1,200km away in Almaty, while the hosts’ main stadium undergoes renovations.
“We just have to be ready,” said defender Axel Disasi, who has the new Netflix miniseries Senna downloaded to see him through the journey. “Put two pairs of gloves on and compete in the game because at the end we just have to fight and keep this first-place.”
Chelsea flew from Gatwick following training at 2pm on Wednesday afternoon, with the eight-hour flight heading across mainland Europe, over the Black and Caspian Seas and into Kazakhstan via the airspace of Turkmenistan and neighbouring Uzbekistan.
The so-called ‘Middle Corridor’ route avoids both the Russia-Ukraine conflict in the north and those raging in the Middle East to the south.
Almaty is five hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, meaning Chelsea did not land on Kazakh soil until 3am local time. However, the Blues are planning to keep their players on English time in a bid minimise disruption.
Chelsea squad in full
13:32 , Matt VerriGoalkeepers: Filip Jorgensen, Lucas Bergstrom, Max Merrick
Defenders: Axel Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Renato Veiga, Josh Acheampong, Harrison Murray-Campbell, Richard Olise, Kaiden Wilson
Midfielders: Carney Chukwuemeka, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Kiano Dyer, Sam Rak-Sakyi, Harvey Vale
Forwards: Pedro Neto, Ato Ampah, Tyrique George, Marc Guiu, Shumaira Mheuka
Standard Sport prediction
13:24Chelsea will be confident of extending their perfect Conference League record, even with a youthful and rotated side.
The temperatures will ensure it is not a comfortable night for the Blues, regardless of the result, but they should prove too strong for their hosts.
Chelsea to win, 2-1
Chelsea team news
13:15 , Matt VerriChelsea will field a much-changed team for today’s Conference League clash with Astana.
The Blues have won all four of their group stage games in the competition so far and sit top of the table, giving manager Enzo Maresca licence to prioritise Sunday’s Premier League meeting with west London Brentford by sparing key players the eight-hour flight.
“Some of [the senior players] are going to be here [at Cobham] and some of them are going to fly with us,” Maresca said on Wednesday. “More or less we try to manage in the same way we have done until today. We have many young players, 17 players with us and the rest are going to be here working.
“I think we are 11 or 12 players [staying in London] and eight or nine flying.”
Maresca confirmed that young full-back Josh Acheampong will be among the academy graduates involved against Astana and is expected to start.
Midfielder Cesare Casadei, who has featured in all four Conference League group games so far, is suspended after his late sending off against Heidenheim last month.
Predicted Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Acheampong, Disasi, Tosin, Veiga; Dewsbury-Hall, Chukwuemeka; George, Vale, Neto; Guiu
How to watch Astana vs Chelsea
13:08 , Matt VerriTV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports 2. Coverage starts at 3pm GMT ahead of a 3:30pm kick-off.
Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action right here, with expert analysis from Chelsea correspondent Malik Ouzia.
Good afternoon!
13:01 , Matt VerriHello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Astana vs Chelsea!
Just the eight-hour flight for the Blues to Kazakhstan, and they will have to cope with temperatures dropping below minus-ten degrees. Lovely.
We’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news ahead of kick-off, which comes at 3:30pm GMT from the Almaty Central Stadium.
