Marc Guiu And Estêvão Cash In For Chelsea As 10-man Ajax Self-destruct

The knowledge that this was an evening successful nan institution of an Ajax squad not fresh to lace nan boots of nan giants who represented nan Dutch broadside successful years gone by did not dull Chelsea’s delight successful seeing further vindication of their religion successful youth.

History was made much than erstwhile by nan youngest squad successful nan Champions League. There was Marc Guiu becoming Chelsea’s youngest scorer successful nan competition, only for nan guardant aged 19 years and 291 days to extremity up successful 3rd spot by full-time. His grounds lasted each of 33 minutes, ending erstwhile nan 18-year-old Brazilian winger Estêvão Willian scored conscionable earlier half-time, and Guiu tumbled further down nan database erstwhile Tyrique George – 19 years and 260 days – rounded disconnected a 5-1 triumph for Enzo Maresca’s broadside early successful nan 2nd half.

While John Heitinga’s atrocious Ajax faced up to nan ignominy of conceding 4 times successful nan first half of a European necktie for nan first clip since 1958, Chelsea became nan first squad successful nan competition’s history to person 3 teenagers people successful 1 game.

There was nary chance of anyone falling into nan trap of mistaking this for 1 of nan awesome Ajax sides. The Dutch giants person made a dreadful commencement to their home run and they knew they were connected their measurement to different dispiriting evening successful this title erstwhile they were reduced to 10 men aft Kenneth Taylor was punished for an inexplicable unreserved of humor to nan caput successful nan 15th minute.

The irony is that each nan talk earlier nan crippled was astir Chelsea’s indiscipline. They were without João Pedro, suspended aft a precocious reddish paper against Benfica past month, and were nether instructions from Maresca to extremity making life unnecessarily difficult for themselves.

In nan event, though, it was Ajax who pressed nan self-destruct fastener erstwhile Taylor near Facundo Buonanotte successful a heap aft leaving his studs connected nan Argentinian’s ankle while nan crippled was still successful nan balance. What was nan midfielder thinking? It was an disfigured situation – high, late, vulnerable – and Felix Zwayer, nan German referee, quickly upgraded his first yellowish paper aft reviewing nan incident connected nan pitchside monitor.

A consciousness of resignation fell complete nan 10 men. Sensing weakness, Chelsea scored from nan resulting free-kick. Buonanotte received possession connected nan right, trim backmost connected to his near ft and delivered a bouncing transverse for Wesley Fofana to put an unchallenged shot into nan six-yard box, wherever nan unmarked Guiu was waiting to person from adjacent range.

Kenneth Taylor’s crazy situation connected Facundo Buonanotte earned him a first-half reddish card. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

Ajax were farcical. The distant extremity turned connected Heitinga, who is already nether terrible unit successful his first managerial role, erstwhile he replaced Oscar Gloukh pinch Jorthy Mokio. It was a protect move, but Ajax remained shambolic.

Chelsea, who named nan 2nd youngest lineup by an English broadside successful Champions League history, did not person to activity difficult for their goals. It was excessively easy erstwhile Moisés Caicedo precocious from right-back and made it 2-0 pinch a deflected changeable from 25 yards.

A rout beckoned. Ajax knew amended than to dream of a turnaround aft Wout Weghorst pulled a extremity back, converting from nan spot aft Tosin Adarabioyo brought Raúl Moro down pinch a silly foul. Weghorst, aft all, was soon making matters worse astatine nan different end. It was difficult not to laughter erstwhile nan erstwhile Manchester United and Burnley striker gave a punishment distant pinch a ludicrous situation connected Enzo Fernández, who stepped up to make it 3-1.

Ajax were risible and reckless. Josip Sutalo was adjacent to err, conceding different punishment successful first-half stoppage time. This clip Fernández handed duties to Estêvão. The Brazilian teen duly walloped his footwear past Ajax’s 41-year-old goalkeeper, Remko Pasveer, who will astir apt not look backmost fondly astatine nan nighttime erstwhile he became nan 3rd oldest subordinate to look astatine this level.

Chelsea had not scored 4 successful nan opening play of a Champions League crippled since beating Genk successful 2011. Maresca’s youngsters were looking to topple records. George, 1 of 3 half-time substitutions, soon made it 5-1 pinch a patient thrust from 20 yards.

Maresca eased off. He removed Caicedo and Fernández. Reggie Walsh, who turned 17 connected Monday, came connected to go Chelsea’s youngest subordinate successful nan Champions League. It is simply a motion of nan times.