Chelsea vs Ajax Review
For the first time, three teenagers, Marc Guiu, Estêvão, and Tyrique George, scored in a UEFA Champions League match, all finding the net in Chelsea’s commanding 5-1 victory over a ten-man Ajax. Having lost their first two group stage matches, Ajax already faced a tough challenge to leave Stamford Bridge with a positive result. With that in mind, Ajax’s under-pressure coach John Heitinga would have preferred to avoid an early red card, which was given to Kenneth Taylor for a reckless tackle on Facundo Buonanotte.
Chelsea capitalized on the resulting free-kick, worsening Ajax’s difficult start by working the angle to deliver a deep cross to Wesley Fofana, who headed the ball across the box for Guiu to score his first Champions League goal for Chelsea. Moisés Caicedo then scored a second goal to assert Chelsea’s dominance in the match, with his long-range shot taking a sharp deflection that deceived the experienced goalkeeper Remko Pasveer. Ajax’s best moment in an otherwise poor first half came in the 33rd minute when Wout Weghorst converted a penalty by placing the ball under Filip Jörgensen, after Tosin Adarabioyo stepped on Raúl Moro’s foot.
However, Weghorst quickly negated his positive contribution by clumsily sliding into Enzo Fernández, giving Chelsea the opportunity to regain their two-goal lead. The Chelsea captain calmly scored from the penalty spot, and then Estêvão took over penalty duties during first-half stoppage time, scoring his first Champions League goal after drawing a foul from Youri Baas with his skillful play. With the victory essentially secured, Enzo Maresca made three substitutions at halftime, bringing on Trevoh Chalobah, Andrey Santos, and George. George made an immediate impact, needing only three minutes to capitalize on a loose ball inside the box and slot a first-time shot past Pasveer, aided by a deflection.
More history was made on an excellent night for the Premier League team when Reggie Walsh was brought on, becoming the youngest player to represent Chelsea in the Champions League. Walsh and his teammates comfortably controlled the rest of the game, securing a decisive win that moves Chelsea up to 11th place, while Ajax remain at the bottom of the table without any points.
