Chelsea advances to the top 16 of the Champions League after defeating Rennes

DBasia.news – Chelsea managed to secure a place in the top 16 of the Champions League. The Blues won 2-1 over Stade Rennes at the Stade de la Route de Lorient, Wednesday (25/11) am, in the fourth match of Group E.

The result ensured Chelsea to head to the knockout stages with 10 points despite two games remaining. Chelsea qualified with Sevilla, who both have 10 points, followed by Krasnodar and Rennes who won one point.

The course of the match

Stade Rennes made five substitutions from the side that lost to Bordeaux in Ligue 1. Julien Stephan played a 4-3-3 tactic, while Frank Lampard’s Chelsea played Callum Hudson-Odoi, Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham as the trident up front in a 4-3-3 formation.

Chelsea started well and created a chance from Werner after receiving the ball from Hudson-Odoi, unfortunately his shot went wide over the Rennes’ goal on the fifth minutes.

17 minutes later Chelsea’s possession and intensity of play were paid for with a goal that gave the lead. After getting the ball from Jeremy Doku, Mason Mount provided an assist to Hudson-Odoi who converted it into a goal past the opponent’s defense.

Rennes was under constant pressure but they were not without opportunities. In the 40th minute Rennes created a chance through Serhou Guirassy, but a narrow angle and Edouard Mendy’s alertness closes the space making it difficult for him to score. As a result the first half closed with a 1-0 advantage for Chelsea.

In the second half Rennes tried to play more aggressively to score goals. Their real chance was born in the 73rd minute from Guirassy with his right foot, but this time the opportunity that came was pushed over by former Rennes goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy.

Rennes’ patience to attack finally resulted in a goal in the 85th minute. Guirassy finally scored when he grabbed a corner kick taken by Benjamin Bourigeaud. 1-1 Rennes equalizes.

Stephan has played Faitout Maouassa, Yann Gboho, Romain Del Castillo and M’Baye Niang in this second half, while Lampard brought on Kai Havert, N’Golo Kante, Olivier Giroud and Hakim Ziyech.

Between the changes, Lampard made the right decision to enter Giroud. The senior French striker scored Chelsea’s second goal right in the 90 + 1 minute.

Giroud defeated Gerzino Nyamsi when he headed the rebound from Alfred Gomis’ edge. The goalkeeper warded off chances from Timo Werner and Giroud grabbed the wild ball. Chelsea was ahead 2-1 and the score closed the match. The Blues have qualified for the top 16 of the Champions League

The composition of Players:

Rennes (4-3-3): Alfred Gomis; Gerzino Nyamsi, Damien Da Silva (c), Adrien Truffert (Faitout Maouassa 86 ‘), Hamari Traore; Eduardo Camavinga, Steven Nzonzi, Benjamin Bourigeaud; Jeremy Doku (Yann Gboho 86 ‘), James Lea Siliki (Romain Del Castillo 63’), Serhou Guirassy (M’Baye Niang 86 ‘).

Substitute players: Brandon Soppy, Clement Grenier, Faitout Maouassa, Warmed Omari, Georginio Rutter, Romain Salin, Adrien Hunou, Yann Gboho, M’Baye Niang, Flavien Tait, Lorenz Assignon, Romain Del Castillo.

Manager: Julien Stephan

Chelsea (4-3-3): Edouard Mendy; Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva, Kurt Zouma, Cesar Azpilicueta (c); Mason Mount (N’Golo Kante 68 ‘), Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic (Kai Havertz 76’); Callum Hudson-Odoi (Hakim Ziyech 75 ‘), Timo Werner (Reece James 90 + 2’), Tammy Abraham (Olivier Giroud 69 ‘).

Substitute players: Kai Havertz, N’Golo Kante, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Olivier Giroud, Fikayo Tomori, Hakim Ziyech, Marcos Alonso, Emerson, Reece James, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Willy Caballero.

Manager: Frank Lampard