Chelsea vs Gent: Conference League - LIVE!
Chelsea will continue their Europa Conference League adventure tonight as they take on Gent in their first league match at Stamford Bridge. The Blues had to navigate through the qualification rounds to reach this point, narrowly defeating Servette in a less than impressive display. Despite this, they are considered strong favorites to win the Conference League trophy in Poland next May.
Enzo Maresca’s team has kicked off the season strongly, currently holding the fourth spot in the Premier League standings with just one loss in their first six games. In their most recent match, Chelsea triumphed over Brighton in an exciting encounter, with Cole Palmer netting all four goals in a 4-2 win. However, the young English talent won't be playing tonight, as the Blues have opted to exclude him from the lineup for this part of the competition in order to manage his workload. Mykhailo Mudryk, Christopher Nkunku, and Joao Felix will all be in the starting lineup.
Gent currently sits in third place in the Belgian Pro League and successfully navigated three qualifying rounds to secure their spot in the Conference League group stage. Their opening match will take them to Stamford Bridge, and they will be heading to Northern Ireland just before Christmas to face Larne. Keep up with all the action through Standard Sport’s LIVE blog below, which includes in-depth insights from Dom Smith at the venue!
Latest updates on Chelsea vs Gent
Dom Smith Takes The Stage At Stamford Bridge
Chelsea holds a narrow one-goal advantage at halftime, and they've clearly outperformed the competition throughout the first half.
Veiga scored his first goal for Chelsea with a beautiful header, coming from Mudryk's superb cross, which was set up by Dewsbury-Hall's perfectly placed pass. This moment truly showcased the quality that Chelsea has managed to produce so far.
There’s still some work left to be done, but Gent showed progress as the first half went on.
Chelsea Secures 1-0 Win Over Gent
The first half concludes as Neto's attempt is blocked.
In the initial moments, Blues dominated the game and looked like they might easily take control, but Gent managed to maintain their composure and then had a strong period of their own.
Chelsea Football Club through Getty Images
45 minutes: An additional minute has been added.
Maresca will be eager to bring his players in following a somewhat shaky 15 minutes or so.
43 minutes in: Felix tries to nudge the ball away from Roef, but the goalie manages to keep it under control.
Mudryk races past his defender, but his cross is blocked. Chelsea is beginning to find their rhythm once more.
Dom Smith's Performance At Stamford Bridge
The Chelsea fans are taking a bit of a risk as they sing "Who are you?" to the corner taker while Gent prepares for the set-piece.
Fortunately for them, the Blues understand the situation. However, Gent is on the rise.
39 minutes in: Chelsea is content to take their time and maintain possession of the ball following a rough patch.
Or maybe not. Badiashile hasn't been performing very well, and now he sends the ball straight out of play for a corner kick.
The play failed spectacularly, but surprisingly, it didn't disappoint anyone involved.
Dom Smith Takes The Stage At Stamford Bridge
It’s quite unsettling, to say the least, especially if you’re a supporter of Chelsea.
Archie Brown found an opportunity to receive the ball from the midfield area.
Good job by Gent in advancing the ball down the field, but it serves as a reminder that Chelsea must stay focused and not let their guard down.
34 minutes in: Chelsea's defense is starting to appear a bit shaky.
Brown delivers a fantastic cross, but Ito struggles to take the shot and misses his chance. Chelsea's defense is looking shaky, and Gudjohnsen takes a shot at goal.
33 minutes in: Gent has an opportunity - it's essentially their first one of the evening.
There's a huge opening right through the center of Chelsea's defense, and Brown has a clear path to the goal.
In the end, it was a fairly straightforward performance, with Jorgensen winning with ease.
32 minutes: Chelsea earns a free-kick on the side. Neto and Felix are at the ball as the defenders make their way forward.
Neto sends in an out-swinging cross, and Tosin leaps up but is unable to redirect the header downward.
He was hoping for a corner kick, but instead, a goal kick was awarded.
