Jorel Hato failed to impress on his Champions League debut for Chelsea. (Image: Getty)
Chelsea faced Qarabag in Azerbaijan on Wednesday night and were held to a shock 2-2 draw, with the visitors unable to grab a point. Estevao Willian scored a stunning finish against Chelsea in Baku with an assist from Brazilian compatriot Andrei Santos. However, Leandro Andrade took advantage of some sloppy defending to take advantage of a rebound after Camilo Duran hit the post and scored to equalize for Qarabag late in the first half.
Moments later, Marko Janković put Qarabag ahead with a goal from the penalty spot after Jorel Hato was deemed to have handled the ball inside his own box. Early in the second half, Chelsea made an immediate impact with Alejandro Garnacho’s first touch to equalize.
Below are the Azerbaijani Chelsea stars rated on a scale of 10.
Robert Sanchez – 6
It was his second appearance in the Champions League this season. I couldn’t do anything about the goal.
Reece James – 6
He started at right-back for the Blues. Actual tests were conducted against a large number of dangerous Karabagh attackers.
However, James performed well in one-on-one battles.
Toshin Adarabioyo – 5
He returned to the Baku team. He got the equalizer, but it wasn’t entirely his fault.
Toshin should never have been put in that position in the first place. He wasn’t terrible, but he wasn’t great that night either.
Jorel Hato – 3
A rare chance to see the Dutch player in the center back position. He lost the bounce of a long ball and ended up grappling with Duran.
The Qarabag forwards outplayed the Pigeons, who were too weak, leading to the hosts’ equalizing goal. He needs to show more strength in this situation.
After a while, he was at fault again. Qarabag were given a penalty for losing the ball and then disposing of it.
Marc Cucurella – 6
He made a crucial interception inside his own six-yard box in the first half, denying Qarabag a big chance. Cucurella’s excellent understanding of the game.
Romeo Lavia – N/A
He returned to the team after a short stint at Tottenham, but his night lasted less than five minutes. He pulled up early and was replaced by Moises Caicedo.
Andrei Santos – 7
Following his heroics against Wolves a week ago, Santos has agreed to start in Baku. He provided another assist for the Brazilian and set up another for compatriot Estebao to give the Blues an early lead.
I was unlucky to be one of the substitutes at half-time.
Estevao Willian – 8
It was his second Champions League start. He also achieved his goal for the second year in a row.
A great finish after being set up by Santos. Estevao is improving with each match.
Estevao Willian celebrates Chelsea’s first goal against Qarabag (Image: Getty)
He has scored 3 goals in his last 3 starts. What else does the 18-year-old need to do to secure a starting spot in the Premier League?
Joao Pedro – 6
He is probably the most unexpected player in the starting lineup due to fitness issues. He played a key role in Estevao’s goal, deftly setting up Santos’ first pass.
However, he should be more proactive in front of goal.
Jamie Gittens – 6
He earned a spot in the starting lineup after his recent performances. He showed promise early on and was involved in many of Chelsea’s best moments.
His final product was lacking and that was the only downside to his performance. It seemed a bit unfair for him to be substituted at half-time.
Tilik George – 5
George was the main striker for the Blues in Baku. It was a quiet night for him with few chances to score.
He was substituted at halftime.
Moises Caicedo (for Lavia 8′) – 6
He entered the game earlier than expected. He made an almost immediate impact with his first touch, but his long-range shot went over the bar.
He fought hard the entire time.
Enzo Fernandes (played in the 46th minute for Santos) – 6
He appeared at halftime. He quickly showed promise and was involved in several of the visiting team’s attacks.
However, as the second half progressed, the performance deteriorated.
Liam Delap (George 46th minute) – 7
After last week’s red card, he had something to prove. He showed excellent forward play on the halfway line, setting up Garnacho and scoring a brilliant goal.
He’s had some great off-the-ball runs, but his teammates still aren’t on the same wavelength as Delap.
Alejandro Garnacho (played for Gittens 46 minutes) – 7
With an assist from Delap, Garnacho scored an immediate goal with a beautiful left-footed shot from an angle.
Facundo Buonanotte (substituted by João Pedro in the 71st minute) – 6
He came on as a substitute and assumed the number 10 role, but unfortunately he was unable to make much of a difference in Azerbaijan.
He took a decent shot in the 85th minute and just missed.
