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For Kenedy in his early months in Europe as a Chelsea player, the Capital One Cup has been a good source of new experiences so far.
Our third-round game at Walsall last month was the stage for the 19-year-old Brazilian to make his full debut for the Blues, provide his first assist for the game’s opening strike and before the 90 minutes were up, net his maiden goal for his new club in impressive style.
With the team aiming to make it through to the quarter-finals by beating Stoke in another away tie tonight, the chance is there for Kenedy to taste action in the latter stages of a major nationwide knockout competition. As he tells the official Chelsea website as we reflect on the previous round of the competition, his best run in cup football so far came early this year in the Carioca competition back in his homeland.
His former team Fluminense reached the semi-finals but that tournament is for clubs in the Rio de Janeiro region rather than countrywide. Kenedy was selected for the second leg against Botafogo but could not prevent his side going out on penalties. Turning his thoughts from Brazil to England’s Black Country, he recalls his first taste of the Capital One Cup five weeks ago.
‘Before I came to England, I had no idea there were two [domestic] cup competitions each season but the players told me Chelsea won this one last season and that game at Walsall was the second game I started for the club, after the pre-season game against Barcelona. I think it went well personally, and I was pleased because the team played well that day.’
The first goal came from Kenedy winning the ball back high up the pitch and lofting over a left-footed cross for Ramires to score at the far post. The more senior Brazilian reported afterwards he had told Kenedy to serve the ball up in that spot.
‘It is true,’ confirms his compatriot. ‘We were talking about it on the bus when we were driving to the stadium. Ramires said if you put it in that area I am going to head one in, and luckily it happened.’
It was a game of high-quality goals against the League One side. Loic Remy’s crisp shot doubled the advantage and after Walsall had pulled one back from a set-piece, John Mikel Obi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek opened up their defence for Kenedy to fire under the keeper.
Pedro made it 4-1 with an individual effort but as memorable as anything on the night wasKenedy’s joyous knee-slide celebration in front of the Chelsea fans when he scored.
‘I didn’t really know what I was doing, I was just very happy,’ the winger admits.
‘I was thinking loads of stuff. I was so happy to score my first goal and hopefully it is the first of many goals. When I was in Brazil, I saw a lot of celebrations like that in England so I thought I would copy it.’
- The full Stoke versus Chelsea fourth-round Capital One Cup tie can be viewed onChelsea TV from midnight.
