Entering the match with a confident mindset, Chelsea were excited after a series of 4 consecutive victories. Despite not having the service of star Cole Palmer, who just scored a poker in the 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, The Blues still showed their superior strength from the start. In the 12th minute, Renato Veiga opened the scoring for Chelsea with a close-range header, taking advantage of a delicate pass from Mykhailo Mudryk. This early goal helped the home team gain more confidence, and they continuously created dangerous opportunities in front of the away team's goal.
In the second half, Chelsea quickly doubled the gap. Just one minute after the half started, Pedro Neto scored the second goal for the home team after an assist from Axel Disasi. At this point, it seemed that Chelsea would easily control the match, but Gent had an unexpected reaction. In the 50th minute, Tsuyoshi Watanabe reduced the score to 2-1 for Gent with an accurate header, creating a tense atmosphere at Stamford Bridge and raising hope for the away team.
However, Chelsea's class was shown immediately after. Christopher Nkunku, Chelsea's expensive new signing, affirmed his worth by increasing the score to 3-1 in the 63rd minute. Just 7 minutes later, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored the fourth goal for the home team, seemingly ending all hopes of Gent. Although Gent scored a second goal in the 90th minute through Omri Gandelman, making it 4-2, their performance also left a good impression in terms of fighting spirit.
This victory is important for Chelsea, not only helping them get off to a good start in the Europa League but also continuing their impressive recent form. In the last 5 matches in all competitions, The Blues have won 4 and drawn 1, scoring a total of 14 goals and conceding only 3.
Coach Enzo Maresca can be satisfied with the performance of his players, especially the dynamism of the attack. However, conceding 2 goals is also worth noting, showing that the defense still needs to improve in the coming time.
As for Gent, despite the defeat, they showed admirable fighting spirit. The Belgian side responded well after going behind, and scoring two away goals against a strong side like Chelsea was encouraging.
The result puts Chelsea top of their Europa League group, while Gent will need to step up their game in the coming games to challenge for a place in the next round. Both teams return to domestic action this weekend, before continuing their Europa League campaign two weeks later.
