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After playing out two consecutive stalemates across all competitions, Chelsea finally tasted victory after overcoming Krasnodar in their second Group E game in the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League.
The game in Krasnodar, watched by over 10,000 fans in the stadium, ended 4-0 in favour of the Premier League outfit, thanks to goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi, Timo Werner, Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech.
The 19-year-old Odoi was lucky to have found the back of the net after the impressive Matvei Safonov misjudged the flight of the ball coming straight at him. Eventually, the ball deflected off his body and went into the net.
Jorginho missed a golden opportunity to put the visitors in a commanding position after he hit the post with his usual hop-and-skip penalty effort in the 14th minute. Frank Lampard's men were not very convincing in the first half and rarely threatened Krasnodar defence until Hudson-Odoi's goal. The hosts were made to work for possession by Chelsea and did not have many chances in the first 45 minutes.
Krasnodar started the second half very positively and created a lot of chances in the early stages. They were unfortunate not to draw level in the 55th minute after Yury Gazinsky's effort ricocheted off the crossbar.
Chelsea were awarded a second penalty in the game in the 76th minute. It looked like a harsh decision, as the ball hit Alyaksandr Martynovich's arm and rebounded off his body from substitute Christian Pulisic's strike. This time Timo Werner stepped up and, with a confident finish, ensured that the ball ended up in the back of the net.
That goal pretty much sealed the fate of the game. Ziyech tripled Chelsea's lead in the 79th minute, and Pulisic added to the hosts' woes in the 90th minute with a cool finish to round up the scoring for the visitors.
On that note, we take a look at the player ratings from Chelsea's impressive 4-0 away win at Krasnodar.
Chelsea Player Ratings:
Edouard Mendy: 7/10
The Senegalese goalkeeper did not have to deal with a lot of shots against Krasnodar, thanks to Chelsea bossing possession on the night. He was only called into action twice before the hour-mark, and he dealt with both instances comfortably.
Mendy produced his best save of the game at his near post from Berg's powerful effort in the 67th minute. He seems to have done enough to retain his place until Arrizabalaga Kepa returns from injury.
Cesar Azpilicueta: 7/10
The Spanish defender had a very well-rounded performance against Krasnodar, balancing his contributions at both ends of the pitch well. He was involved in Chelsea's first real chance of the game as his cross led to Timo Werner earning a penalty in the 14th minute.
Azpilicueta provided a lot of width going forward and was always available to receive a pass from Ziyech near the Krasnodar box. He made a couple of crucial interventions in the first half but seemed to struggle against the Krasnodar attackers in the second half.
Kurt Zouma: 7/10
The Frenchman's defending has been suspect when Chelsea play three at the back, but against Krasnodar, with Lampard returning to a four-man defence, Kurt Zouma helped his side keep a clean sheet yet again. There was nothing spectacular about his performance, but he did his job well and also impressed with his pinpoint long balls.
Antonio Rudiger: 6.5/10
Against Krasnodar, the Germany international made his first appearance of the season for Chelsea, and as one would expect, he was understandably a bit rusty. Antonio Rudiger was slow to react to some of Krasnodar's efforts in the second half. However, he had the best passing accuracy in the game and finished with a 97% pass completion ratio.
Ben Chilwell: 6/10
Ben Chilwell did not perform to his usual standards against Krasnodar. Despite making good runs into the opposition half, he failed to create a lot of chances. His passing was also slightly off the mark, and he had very little to do defensively as well.
Mateo Kovacic: 6/10
Mateo Kovacic had little involvement in the game against Krasnodar, but he is not to be blamed for that, as Frank Lampard's gameplan leaves him little to no responsibilities.
Against Krasnodar, most of Chelsea's attacks developed on the flanks, leaving Kovacic to cover for both Chilwell and Azpilicueta. When Chelsea did not have possession Havertz, Ziyech and Werner all fell back and helped out in the midfield, thus limiting Kovacic's contribution in the game.
Jorginho: 5/10
Jorginho's penalty miss in the 14th minute did not prove costly for Chelsea, as the visitors won 4-0 on the night, thanks to a superb second-half attacking display. Nevertheless, it was a poor outing for the Italian.
After missing just one penalty in his career before moving to Chelsea, he has already missed two now, and that could mean that Timo Werner, who converted from the spot in the 76th minute, could be entrusted with spot-kick duties.
Kai Havertz: 8/10
Kai Havertz signed off with another all-round performance for Chelsea against Krasnodar. He covered a lot of ground in the middle of the pitch and linked well with his teammates.
His stats on the night read: 16 total duels, seven aerial duels, six recoveries, four chances created, two tackles, two clearances, two take-ons completed, one interception and one assist. Havertz is proving to be much more than a traditional number 10 for Chelsea, and his work rate will prove beneficial to the club in the upcoming fixtures.
Hakim Ziyech: 8/10
Hakim Ziyech opened his account with Chelsea in his first game for the club. The goal was always coming for the former Ajax star as the winger looked full of menace and found himself in dangerous positions on a couple of occasions.
Callum Hudson-Odoi: 6.5/10
The teenager was lucky to get on the scoresheet in the 37th minute, but he looked dangerous whenever he got the ball. With his involvement decreasing after the restart, Callum Hudson-Odoi was replaced in the 71st minute by Mason Mount.
Timo Werner: 8/10
Timo Werner had a quiet start but won the penalty after controlling an Azpilicueta cross. He enjoyed a lot of freedom in the final third and linked well with his teammates in the middle and on the flanks.
He had no problem in dispatching the penalty in the 76th minute that paved the way for Chelsea's 4-0 win. Werner ended the game with an assist for Ziyech's goal.
The former Leipzig striker has seemed to find his rhythm after his initial struggles and will be crucial for Chelsea's upcoming games.
Player Ratings of Chelsea Substitutes:
Mason Mount: N/A
Mason Mount came on in the 71st minute for Matteo Kovacic and worked hard for the ball.
N'Golo Kante: N/A
N'Golo Kante came on in the 71st minute for Jorginho and provided strength to the Chelsea midfield against Krasnodar's counter-attacks.
Christian Pulisic: 6.5/10
Christian Pulisic came on in the 71st minute for Hudson-Odoi and provided a lot of flair for Chelsea in the final third. Thanks to his energy and determination, he was able to earn Chelsea a penalty. Pulisic also grabbed a goal in the 90th minute to seal a resounding win for the Blues
Tammy Abraham: N/A
Emerson Palmieri: N/A
