Chelsea ease to Champions League win at Krasnodar

KRASNODAR, Russia (Reuters) - Chelsea kickstarted their Champions League group campaign by coasting to a 4-0 win at Krasnodar on Wednesday thanks to goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and a late strike from Christian Pulisic.

Having drawn their opening game with Sevilla 0-0, Chelsea got off to a slow start against a conservative Krasnodar and passed up a glorious chance to take the lead when Jorginho hit the post from the penalty spot.

Frank Lampard’s side went ahead in the 37th minute with a stroke of fortune when Hudson-Odoi’s tame shot squirmed through the hands of Krasnodar keeper Matvey Safonov.

Krasnodar nearly equalised when Yuri Gazinskiy hit the crossbar in the second half but Chelsea extended their lead when Werner smashed home from the penalty spot in the 76th minute, after Jorginho had been substituted.

Ziyech grabbed his first goal for Chelsea since switching from Ajax Amsterdam by firing low into the net and Pulisic completed the rout in added time, helped by another lapse of concentration from Safonov.

Chelsea have four points after two games in Group E. Krasnodar have one.