London: It was a good beginning Tuesday for English clubs at the Champions League as Chelsea thumped debutants Qarabag 6-0 while Manchester United celebrated their return to the tournament with a 3-0 win against FC Basel.
It was a memorable goal rush at Stamford Bridge which included a stunning, if miscued, strike from new signing Davide Zappacosta. The Italian was joined on the scoresheet by another new Chelsea arrival Frenchman Tiemoue Bakayoko on a satisfying night for manager Antonio Conte after a summer of much-publicised frustration in the transfer market.
“It was a good start for us. To score many goals, to win and to have a clean sheet – I saw a lot of positive things tonight (Tuesday),” Conte said after the game.
The Azeri champions were never any match for their English counterparts and it took only five minutes for Pedro to open the scoring with a curling shot from the edge of the area. Then in the 35th minute Zappacosta, apparently looking to cross the ball, produced a swirling screamer of a goal from some 35 metres out on the half hour.
Chelsea ran riot in the second half with goals from defender Cesar Azplicueta (55th) who knocked in an exquisite pass from Spanish compatriot Cesc Fabregas. Then Bakayoko and Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi scored in quick succession before defender Maksim Medvedev completed Qarabag’s woes with a own goal in the 82nd minute.
Meanwhile substitute Marouane Fellaini turned out to be the unlikely source of inspiration for Manchester united against Basel.
Fellaini, a replacement for the injured Paul Pogba, gave United a 35th-minute lead at a drizzly Old Trafford and teed up Marcus Rashford for the hosts’ third goal after Romelu Lukaku had struck early in the second period.
However, there was a frown on manager Jose Mourinho’s face as he came to know that Pogba may be sidelined for more than two months.
