Match report: Chelsea 4:2 Gent | News | Official site

Veiga got things going early with a powerful header from Mkyhailo Mudryk’s cross. Despite the chances, we had to wait until a minute into the second half to double our lead when Pedro Neto scored the winner in front of the Matthew Harding Stand.

Gent threatened on points and our Belgian visitors halved the deficit soon after with a header from Tsuyoshi Watanabe, but any chance of a comeback was quickly dashed by Christopher Nkunku, who scored his seventh goal of the season.

Dewsbury-Hall then scored the deserved goal with his hard work in midfield, making it 4-1 for Chelsea with 20 minutes left. Ghent still had time to get one more time before the end, but this was clearly our night.

The teams

Enzo Maresca named an entirely new starting XI from the weekend’s win over Brighton. In fact, there was only one change from the team that started the Barrow game last midweek: Tosin Adarabioyo for Malo Gusto. Axel Disasi, the right-back, was captain again.

17-year-old Academy midfielder Kiano Dyer was benched for the first time. Another young player, Tyrique George, would come on as a substitute with ten minutes left.

Quick start

The Blues were there from the start. When Veiga opened the scoring in the 12th minute, Joao Felix had seen a close-range shot blocked and Neto had gone close with a low shot.

It was a great move from Chelsea down the touchline that gave Gent the lead. Dewsbury-Hall released Mudryk and he showed patience and then precision, waiting for Veiga to make a move at the far post before delivering a perfect cross that allowed the Portuguese to head a ball back across goal and into the goal place. It was just the reward for a fine at the start of the game for Veiga.

Dewsbury-Hall could have almost doubled our lead before half-time. He allowed Neto to break at high speed, then got into position for the return ball and shot into the side netting from 12 meters out.

A smooth move from Gent on the half hour allowed Archie Brown to make a run towards goal, but the angle narrowed and the England U20 international shot straight at Filip Jorgensen. That chance sparked a period of pressure from the Gents, which included a dangerous shot not far from Andri Gudjohnsen, the 22-year-old son of Chelsea legend Eidur.

Exactly Pedro

The first half could have ended more quietly for the Blues, but we started the second half with a bang. Disasi threw a ball into the inside right channel and Neto’s speed caused the visitors’ defense to panic. The winger took advantage of their reluctance and shot the ball high into Davy Roef’s net.

Our two-goal lead was short. A corner was cleared, but not completely, and the ball went wide to Gudjohnsen. His cross landed in an area full of fluorescent shirts, but not many blue ones, and Watanabe was the grateful beneficiary.

Nkunku again

The goals kept coming! We won a series of consecutive corners and kept the ball alive in the penalty area from the third. It looked like Veiga would be the player to get a shot away, but Nkunku arrived in a hurry and fired his shot through the crowd and Roef.

The balloon emerged as Stamford Bridge supporters lit up their phones in an amusing reaction as traveling fans did the same when Genk scored.

That was in the 63rd minute and we made it 4-1 in the 70th minute. This time a tackle prevented Nkunku from blocking a shot from Joao Felix’s pass, but Dewsbury-Hall scored the goal his performance deserved after holding on to the loose ball. His celebration was accompanied by a joyful Maresca on the sidelines.

Somehow Badiashile and Disasi couldn’t keep out a teasing cross from Neto as we threatened to go mad, but it was Gent who had the final say: substitute Omri Gandelman converted Max Dean’s pass, meaning it was home The Blues are 4-2 in a row.

What’s next?

Our final game before the October international break will be at the Bridge again when we welcome Nottingham Forest to SW6 on Sunday.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Disasi (c), Tosin, Badiashile, Veiga; Casadei, Dewsbury Hall; Neto (George 80), Joao Felix, Mudryk; Nkunku (Guiu 80)

Unused subs Sanchez, Bergstrom, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Dyer, Madueke

Goal scorers Veiga 12, Neto 46, Nkunku 63, Dewsbury Hall 70

Booked Disasi 72

Ghent (4-3-3): Roof; Gambor (Samoise 89), Watanabe, Mitrovic (c), Torunarigha; Ito, Delorge (Gandelman 78), Brown; Fadiga (Araujo 64), Gudjohnsen (Dean 64), Surdez (Kums 78)

Unused subs Schmidt, Vancsa, Gerkens, Sonko, Fortuna, De Vlieger, Varela

Goal scorers Watanabe 50, Gandelman 90

Booked Brown 90+4

referee Daniel Schlager

Crowd 38,546