Chelsea snatched three crucial points in the Champions League group stage match against Krasnodar yesterday by defeating them in a 4-0 scoreline. Although it was a cagey affair between the two teams, yet Chelsea delivered three fine goals in their away match in Russia.
Chelsea coach Frank Lampard praised his attacking midfielder and former Ajax man, Hakim Ziyech after he grabbed his debut goal for the Blues. It was the first time Ziyech started the game for Chelsea and played the whole 90 minutes.
The Moroccan international signed from Ajax in the month of February 2020 but couldn’t feature due to fitness problems. In Chelsea’s pre-season match against Brighton. he got a knee injury where he also had an assist.
With the condensed schedule, fitness has been a primary concern for the Chelsea coach and he needs to look after it throughout the season.to manage this season. The coach although was very keen to see him on the field for Chelsea as he is well aware of the attacking talents that Ziyech possesses. It was his performance against Krasnodar that justified what Lampard believe.
“Hakim Ziyech was fit today, the first time he’s really been fit to start a game. He has worked really hard to be fit and I was very keen to get his quality into the team. We saw that for the whole period he was on the pitch. He brought a lot of quality and calmness and got a well deserved goal, said Lampard in the Official Chelsea site.
“I thought his performance was very very good when you consider he hasn’t started a match since March when the Dutch league finished. So I have been very excited to get him on the pitch so it has been frustration for me and for him and us that his injury hasn’t allowed him to start.
“But what I have seen in training so far and what I knew we were signing as a player was a player with immense quality and personality to receive the ball, assists and find goals. We saw a lot of glimpses of that today. We brought him in to do a job and maybe people have forgotten a bit because we signed him in January and he missed the start of the season. Tonight, he certainly showed he is here.”
Chelsea’s boss is still expecting Hakim to prove his worth at the big stage and in crucial moments although he scored his first goal. He expects more from the Moroccan as his side tops the group table in goal difference with Sevilla.
