Chelsea and Ajax deliver an instant Champions League classic

Champions League heavyweights, Chelsea FC and Ajax, lock horns at Stamford Bridge drawing 4-4 on matchday four on Tuesday night. Chelsea looked all but beat after going down 4-1 by the 55th minute but after both Ajax center backs were sent off, the English side sprung into life scoring three unanswered goals. With the dramatic draw, Chelsea and Ajax top group H with both sides on 7 points. 

An early own goal from Tammy Abraham and a Jorginho penalty shortly two minutes after foreshadowed the absolute craziness fútbol fans were in store for. The own goal would come from a Quincy Promes freekick that deflected off Abraham and past Chelsea keeper Kepa giving Ajax the lead. However, Christian Pulisic quickly ran at the Ajax defense and drew a penalty after being taken down. Jorginho would step up to the spot and level the score 1-1 after only 4 minutes. 

Ajax would take a stranglehold on the game after going 3-1 up to end the first half. Quincy Promes would break the deadlock with the help of a Hakim Ziyech world-class, curling cross. A point-blank Promes header made it 2-1 in the 20th minute. A consistent theme throughout the half was Chelsea struggling to defend set-pieces and it showed in the 35th minute. Ziyech again would display his left foot wizardry as he hit the post off a freekick from a narrow-angle and the ball ricocheted off Kepa’s face to make it 3-1 to the visitors. 

Frank Lampard and his blues came out in the second half with renewed life as they heavily pressed Ajax in their own half. However, the Dutch side would absorb all the pressure and eventually add a fourth goal in the 55th-minute courtesy of Donny Van de Beek. A brilliant first touch in the box to set himself up for an unmarked strike made it 4-1 and seemingly put the game out of reach for Chelsea. 

Captain César Azpilicueta would give the home side a lifeline in the 63rd minute. After a scramble in the box, Abraham would scuff an opportunity that found its way to Azpilicueta who tapped it into the net. Questions of offside lingered but 4-2 made the score manageable for the blues. 

The game would reach a climax around the 70th minute after both Ajax center backs were sent off in the span of seconds. Daley Blind received a second yellow card for a rash tackle on Tammy Abraham consequently being sent off. In the same play, Joel Veltman would also be sent off after getting another yellow card for the ball hitting his hand inside the box. Chelsea would get a penalty in the midst of the chaos. Again Jorginho would put away the spot-kick to make it 4-3 and inch his blues closer to a miraculous comeback.  

Young, English full-back, Reece James finally made it 4-4 in the 74th minute. Ajax blocked every Chelsea shot attempt in their box in the lead up to the goal but the ball could not be cleared by Ajax. James would pounce as the ball fell to him and smashed it past the Ajax keeper. From 4-1 down to level at 4-4, Chelsea came back from the brink.

Azpilicueta looked to have the winning goal for Chelsea a few minutes later in the 77th minute but the goal would be overturned after further review from VAR. The ball hit Abraham in the hand before Azpilicueta put it away. Absolute scenes at Stamford Bridge were cut short as the game stayed at 4-4. 

Mexican Center Back,  Edson Álvarez, who came on after the red cards for Blind and Veltman, had a massive chance in the 86th minute to win it for Ajax. Kepa would deny him glory as the game ended 4-4 in dramatic fashion. 

Chelsea is back in action in the Champions League on November 27th as they take on Valencia away. Ajax faces Lille also on November 27th away.