Enzo Maresca watched on amid fog and a dusting of snow on the pitch, as Chelsea battled with elements to overcome Astana and plough on in the Europa Conference League.
The Blues were faced with the arduous journey to Kazakhstan for the nightmare 3.30pm kick-off, but it was business as usual for the men from west London, who didn’t have to break much of a sweat to get victory over the line.
With Maresca making the sensible call to deloy a series of second string players, he was rewarded with a handful of hungry performances from youngsters keen to stamp their names onto the first team set-up.
Express Sport runs the rule over the player ratings from a cold evening inside the Ortalyq stadıon.
Filip Jorgensen – A solid evening for the highly rated stopper. Pulled off a few important saves in the latter stages, and concentrated on keeping warm. 7.
Josh Acheampong – Youngster showed a good account of himself, with bravery and confidence on the ball. 6.
Tosin Adarabioyo – Stepped up and showed a more senior presence in this makeshift side. Confident on the ball, but caught with a few lapses of concentration after the 80minute mark. 7.
Axel Disasi – A professional job, helped shepherd the younger players along. 6.
Samuel Rak Sakyi – Came into the game in stages, but didn’t make the mark he would have hoped. 6.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – A commanding presence, with great feet in the central third and an eye for a pass. Has a point to prove after being dropped from the first XI. Should have had a beautiful solo goal after dribbling through the middle. 8.
Renato Veiga – A standard performance from somebody who is becoming Mr reliable. Got a goal to add to his tally. 8.
Carney Chukwuemeka – Showed the flashes of promise that Chelsea have invested in. 7.
Pedro Neto – Showed speed and guile, though held back somewhat in the freezing conditions. Perhaps looking to avoid injury. If so, wise. 7.
Marc Guiu – The man who everyone has been talking about behind the scenes, Guiu finally stepped up to the plate and played a starring role. Two goals, though one is likely to be noted down as an OG. He’s sent a message to Maresca, and also the rest of the Premier League. Expect a number of clubs trying to take him on loan in January. 9.
Tyrique George – Lovely feet looked like a young man with a point to prove. Very adept at cutting inside, but needs to work on the end product. 7.
Subs
A.Ampah (for Neto)
H.Vale (for Chukwuemeka)
Shim Mheuka (for Guiu)
K.Dyer (for Rak Sakyi)
Content Source: www.express.co.uk