4 FROM RUSSIA WITH GLOVE

Keeper Safonov’s nightmare hands nervy Blues victory

Hudson-odoi 37, Werner pen 76, Ziyech 79, Pulisic 90

CHELSEA finally got their Champions League campaign up and running with a ruthless late show in Russia.

Owner Roman Abramovich will have shifted in his seat nervously at times in his native country but ultimately he will have been delighted.

In the end it was a convincing victory for Frank Lampard’s men. And after that opening draw with Sevilla, they are nicely placed in Group E thanks to Callum HudsonOdoi’s strike, a Timo Werner penalty, and two late goals from Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic.

But for long periods it was very nervy for Chelsea – and those last three goals all came in the final 14 minutes on a dreadful evening for Krasnodar keeper Matvei Safonov.

Krasnodar notched a creditable 1-1 draw at Rennes in their opening game so the Blues knew it would be no walk in the park. And they looked edgy early on.

First Ben Chilwell lost th e b al l and Swedish international Marcus Berg shot over – and then Edouard Mendy had to turn Daniil Utkin’s shot round the post.

Chelsea wasted a

Hudson-odoi fires home the opener before three late goals were added golden chance to settle their nerves from the penalty spot after Kaio brought down Werner. Jorginho’s usual hop, skip and jump were there, but the usual outcome wasn’t – ball hitting post rather than net.

But Chelsea went ahead courtesy of a howler from keeper Safonov, who allowed a tame shot from Hudson-odoi to squirm through his arms and into the net.

Krasnodar fought back and Yury Gazinksy‘s rising shot thumped against the bar before Yevgeni Chernov hit a dipping volley just over the bar. But then Lady Luck stepped in again for Chelsea.

Sub Pulisic’s shot hit Krasnodar skipper Alyaksandr Martynovich on the thigh and then the hand, and Turkish referee Ali Palabiyik again pointed to the spot for a very soft penalty award. Jorginho had been taken off by then, so Werner stepped up to ram the spot-kick home.

Five minutes later Werner set up Ziyech to cleverly hook home his first goal for Chelsea on his first start.

In the final minute Ta m m y A b r a h a m played in Pulisic in the Krasnodar box and his shot went through the l e g s of the hapless Safonov for the fourth.