Kenedy’s on Blue road to redemption
THE man who managed to insult an entire nation of 1.4billion people on social media set out on the long road to redemption for five-star Chelsea. And as Brazilian winger Kenedy (right) – sent home in disgrace from the Blues’ pre-season tour of the Far East for his insulting remarks about the Chinese – launched the Blues on a Carabao Cup cruise, there wasn’t a snoozing security guard in sight. True enough, there were a few Nottingham Forest defenders nodding off when the unmarked Kenedy met Antonio Rudiger’s deep cross at the far post with a controlled volley after 13 minutes. But there was nothing about Kenedy’s first appearance of the season to cause offence – certainly not on a par with a video posted on Instagram of a sleeping security guard with the caption: “Wake up China. You idiot”. For Forest, Kieran Dowell hit the bar and sub Ben Brereton went close. But Chelsea were simply irresistible. If Kenedy’s first instalment of payback for misbehaviour on tour was gratefully received, manager Antonio Conte added a sprinkling of youthful exuberance to the pot. And Charly Musonda, a lively 20-year-old Belgian forward, decorated his first start with a deserved goal. Eden Hazard, making his first start of the season, was in sublime form, although his pass to set up up the first goal of Michy Batshuayi’s hat-trick, after 19 minutes, took a wicked deflection into the Belgium striker’s path. Musonda made it 3-0, five minutes before the break, and, by the time Hazard unselfishly set up Batshuayi from close range, Forest were facing a rout. Batshuayi’s luck was in again four minutes from time when Kenedy’s fierce volley rebounded off the bar and he completed his treble inadvertently. Forest sub Tendayi Darikwa snatched Forest’s token reply with the last kick of the game.