Chelsea almost secured their place in the last 16 of the Conference League with a 3-1 win over Astana in Kazakhstan, while Enzo Maresca handed two academy graduates their full debuts.

18-year-old defender Josh Acheampong and 19-year-old midfielder Samuel Rak-Sakyi each played for the under-eights club and enjoyed comfortable first starts with the senior team as the visitors triumphed in temperatures of minus 10C at the Kazakh stadium Capital Almaty.

Fellow teenager Marc Guiu, a relative veteran with six previous appearances at Chelsea, scored twice in the first 18 minutes before Renato Veiga scored his second for the club before half-time.

Astana themselves were playing 600 miles from home as their regular stadium was being renovated, and they gave those who had made the arduous journey reason to celebrate when Croatia striker Marin Tomasov scored in a rare moment for the hosts shot from the post.

Maresca handed 18-year-old Tyrique George a second senior start and left most of the starting XI in Sunday’s 4-3 win over Tottenham at home, with Pedro Neto – suspended for the weekend’s meeting with Brentford – the only player was around to make the 7,000 mile round trip.

Neto had Chelsea’s first chance in icy conditions in Kazakhstan, running inside from the right and hitting low towards the near post, while goalkeeper Mukhammedzhan Seysen ricocheted low to the left to save.

Guiu’s start was a good solo performance. He won the ball almost on the sideline wide right, setting up full-back Aleksandr Marochkin before darting past him into the penalty area and firing the ball into the post for his second Chelsea goal.

Astana already looked hopelessly tense. Neto was next to take advantage, shooting around the outside of his defender and crossing low to Guiu. Seysen dived to get the ball, but could only bring it back into the danger zone, where it bounced between Guiu and Marochkin and went over the line. Carney Chukwuemeka’s shot deflected in after gaining space but Astana ignored the warning. From the resulting corner, Veiga had Almaty freedom to rise and place his header past the goalkeeper.

Astana’s torrid evening was made even more pleasant when Tomasov escaped Veiga’s attention and slotted home the goal of the night, his shot darting past Filip Jörgensen’s reach and off the post.

Ato Ampah replaced Neto in the second half for his first senior Chelsea appearance, while Harvey Vale was brought in for his first appearance since 2022. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall fired a shot inches wide as he went for his second goal since his summer move Chelsea easily outpaced their hosts in the second half.

Striker Shim Mheuka also made his Chelsea debut at the age of 17, becoming the club’s second-youngest player in Europe after Dominic Solanke. Midfielder Kiano Dyer, then 18, completed the list of those making their debut in blue.