Chelsea goalscorer Tyrik George said he was told by his young team-mates to “have fun and be really free” before their side beat Ajax 5-1 in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge.
The 19-year-old was one of three teenage scorers as Enzo Maresca’s side secured a big win against an inferior opponent, playing with 10 men from the 17th minute onwards after captain Kenneth Taylor was sacked.
19-year-old striker Marc Giu opened the scoring a minute later, followed by Moises Caicedo’s second from a deflection a minute later, signaling the Chelsea avalanche.
Enzo Fernandes also converted a penalty, while Brazilian winger Estebao Willian converted a penalty, making him Chelsea’s youngest Champions League scorer and ensuring their best performance since joining from Palmeiras.
George’s second-half goal, albeit a deflection, added to Ajax’s humiliation and marked the realization of a childhood dream for the academy graduate.
Message from manager Maresca to Chelsea’s young players
“It was a really good night,” he said. “I’m really happy to have scored my first goal in the Champions League and it was a great win.
“We scored a lot of goals, played well and had fun in the game.
“We’re all young and we’re having fun. We’re having fun on the pitch, that’s all. The manager tells us to have fun and be really free when we’re in the attacking area and that’s what we showed last night.”
“I was just itching to go out there and score a goal. I was able to do that, so I’m happy.”
George’s only goal so far this season came in the third round of the Carabao Cup against Lincoln, but Maresca’s confidence has only grown since breaking into the first team last season.
He scored one of the team’s most important goals last season. He scored the equalizer in the 83rd minute against Craven Cottage in April, when Chelsea came back late to beat Fulham 2-1. At that moment, his goal of finishing in the top four seemed to have stalled.
Maresca is currently reaping the benefit of his faith in youth, especially on Wednesday without his big-money summer forwards in the suspended Joao Pedro and the long-term injured Liam Delap.
“It feels great (to score),” George said. “Since I was eight years old, I wanted to score in the Champions League. That’s where the dream comes from.
“I think it comes down to the amount of training we put in every day, and I think that’s what led to us winning, so we just keep moving forward.
“We want to keep moving forward, keep improving and keep winning.”
