Chelsea emerged winners in a pulsating Conference League battle against Gent, 4-2,

Thanks to outstanding games by Rony Veiga, Pedro Neto, Christopher Nkunku, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Despite never giving up their attempt to come back from a tight spot, Gent could not carry the burden of those strikes by Chelsea in that game.

First Half: Chelsea Dominant 
Chelsea started very well, getting forward immediately in the first whistle. Their pressure told after as early as the 12th minute when Rony Veiga scored after a Mykhailo Mudryk move to continue the slumping team’s tie against Gent; it was now 1-0. The counter attacking style of Chelsea had caught Gent long, coming at them at a high tempo.

Gent could not find a shape in the first half, with the Chelsea side in control. The team made some tries to pass Chelsea’s defense but failed to penetrate the gate. Blues dominated possession with 68% possession against 32% taken by Gent. This exerted pressure on their Belgian opponents.

Second Half: Goals Galore as Gent Fights Back
Explosive second-half starts went all the way into the fray when Pedro Neto doubled Chelsea’s advantage just after halftime in the 46th minute. This was off a perfectly timed pass by Axel Disasi, which allowed Neto to convert the opportunity into a neatly composed shot for 2-0 and firmly stamp control for Chelsea.

However, Gent quickly reacted, in part thanks to Taichi Watanabe, who scored in the 50th minute. A pass from Andri Gudjohnsen, Watanabe’s strike brought Gent back to hope as they were able to make it 2-1. From this stage, the match balanced itself out and started to open up as both sides began creating more scoring opportunities.

Nkunku and Dewsbury-Hall Seal the Victory
In the 63rd minute, Rony Veiga worked some magic from near the midpoint of the Gent half as he slipped a magnificent ball to Christopher Nkunku for him to make no mistake when taking the scoreline to 3-1. Nkunku, indeed, made a sharp movement and even finish before placing the shot past the Gent’s keeper.

Gent, though did continue advancing. They tactically changed, bringing in into the fray person like Orel Gandelman or Mathias Delorge to supplement their attack. It was Chelsea though who took the fourth of the evening, courtesy Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the 70th minute, making the score 4-1. His composed finish nearly ended the hopes for a comeback from Gent.

Consolation in Injury Time for Gent
All Gent could do was to settle for a consolation goal deep into time from an injury-time strike from substitute Orel Gandelman, courtesy of Marc Dean. However, Chelsea held on for their win with this late dominance.

Key Moments and Tactical Insights
Chelsea dominated possession and clinical finishing played a big role in winning this game. Chelsea dominated possession, 68% while nine shots on target as against four by Gent. That was the team of the Blues; they remained ahead of Gent in this respect and held dominance on the corners off it as well, as they won more corners than Gent, 9-4. They also committed fewer fouls than Gent and, above all, showed a deeper control as well as discipline.

There were sometimes brilliant moments in Gent-a Watanabe goal, but Chelsea’s defense and midfield kept it tight for most of the match. Axel Disasi is having an excellent game with his organized work despite the yellow card in the 72nd minute.

On the tactical side, Chelsea was set to expose some voids in Gent’s defense. Veiga, Neto, and Nkunku were cracking the back line of Gent pretty well, and Dewsbury-Hall provided the final touch whenever needed. The replacement of players and upsurge of the attacking threat by Gent did not come at the right time when everything was uncontrollable for Chelsea.

Change of players and Tactical adjustment
Both brought substitutes to alter the course of the game. Chelsea brought into the game players such as Max Guiu and Tony George, keeping up their frantic rhythm. Gent also did well in changing many players, bringing in Orel Gandelman, Sven Kums, and Marc Dean to swing the movement. However, Chelsea’s tactical changes did yield much better in terms of retaining their attack threat.

Conclusion: Chelsea in Charge
The 4-2 win sent Chelsea into the next round of Conference League and thus gave them the much-needed morale for their further matches. Chelsea was a potent attacking force, thereby having the upper hand in defense; Gent stood at a low chance of scoring points. This came as contributions by Veiga, Neto, and Nkunku proved crucial in the memorable victory to be bestowed on the Blues.

Therefore, it becomes a benchmark of the expectations of Chelsea as the tournament unfolds. Gent will, however, employ this loss as a lesson in rebounding as they go on into the other games.

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