- Chelsea secured a 3-1 victory over Astana, advancing to the Europa Conference League last-16 with impressive performances from young players
- Marc Guiu scored twice for Chelsea, while Renato Veiga added a third goal, ensuring the team remains unbeaten in the group
Chelsea advanced to the Europa Conference League’s last-16 after a convincing 3-1 victory over Astana on Thursday night.
The match in Almaty presented challenging conditions, including freezing temperatures of -11°C. Despite the weather, Chelsea showcased their strength. Marc Guiu, an 18-year-old Spanish youth international, impressed by opening the scoring.
Aleksandr Marochkin doubled the lead, while Renato Veiga added a third just before halftime with a well-timed header. Although Astana’s Marin Tomasov struck a stunning consolation goal right before the break, Chelsea maintained their dominance to secure the win.
With this result, Chelsea remains unbeaten in the group, sitting comfortably at the top with 15 points from five games.
Meanwhile, Manchester United pulled off a dramatic late win against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League. Substituting in the second half, Rasmus Hojlund scored twice to turn the game around, earning the Red Devils a 2-1 victory.
The win boosts United into the competition’s top eight, positioning them well for automatic qualification to the last-16.
Elsewhere on Thursday night, Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers played to a thrilling 1-1 draw. Both sides inched closer to their respective Europa League knockout stage berths.