Stamford Bridge turned into a carnival for Chelsea’s youngsters on a glittering European night. In a historic Champions League performance, the Blues crushed Dutch giants Ajax 5–1. Three young players found the net in the same match — a record-making feat now etched in the club’s history.
Just 19 years old, Marc Guiu opened the scoring and briefly became Chelsea’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Champions League.
However, that record didn’t last long. Only 33 minutes later, 18-year-old Estevão Willian converted a penalty to break Guiu’s record. Earlier, Enzo Fernández and Ajax’s Wout Weghorst had both scored from the spot, while Moisés Caicedo’s stunning long-range strike made the game completely one-sided.
In the second half, just three minutes after coming on, 18-year-old Tyrique George scored to become the third teenager on the scoresheet. Substitute Reggie Walsh, aged 17, made history as Chelsea’s youngest-ever player and the second-youngest English footballer to appear in the Champions League.
For Ajax, it was a night to forget. Their downfall began when captain Kenneth Taylor was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle. A string of fouls, penalties, and poor discipline sealed their fate before halftime.
Chelsea fielded 10 players aged 21 or under, making this one of the youngest lineups in the club’s history.
With this victory, Enzo Maresca’s youthful side celebrated back-to-back Champions League wins. Meanwhile, Ajax — suffering their third consecutive defeat — now sit bottom of the group, marking their fourth loss across all competitions.
Rejuvenated by the brilliance of their young stars, Chelsea will look to continue their European momentum in their next match against Azerbaijan’s Qarabag FK.
Khabarwala/TSN