Chelsea celebrated their first-ever appearance in the UEFA Conference League group stage with a 4-2 victory over Belgian side Gent at Stamford Bridge. Manager Enzo Maresca took full advantage of his deep squad, rotating the starting XI from their weekend Premier League match.
The game kicked off with an early Chelsea lead as Renato Veiga’s powerful header found the back of the net in the 12th minute. The home side maintained control, and just one minute into the second half, Pedro Neto doubled their advantage with a well-placed strike.
Gent responded quickly through Tsuyoshi Watanabe, who made it 2-1 in the 50th minute, but Chelsea regained their dominance shortly after. Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored two quick goals within seven minutes, putting the game beyond Gent’s reach at 4-1. Although Omri Gandelman added a late consolation for the visitors, Chelsea’s attacking prowess was too much for the Belgian side.
Elsewhere in the competition, Elfsborg stunned AS Roma with a 1-0 victory at home, courtesy of a 44th-minute penalty from Michael Baidoo. The result leaves Roma with just one point after two games, further complicating their path in the group stage.
Chelsea now top their group as they look forward to their next European challenge, while Gent will aim to regroup and bounce back in their upcoming fixtures.
