The young Blues needed a win on our travels in Austria to keep ourselves in with a chance of advancing to the knockout stages, with Ed Brand’s side drawing two and losing two going into this fixture.

There were six changes made by Brand to the side who played AC Milan a fortnight ago, with changes in goal, and most notably in attack as Jude Soonsup-Bell returned alongside Malik Mothersille.

It was the hosts who selected to change ends after the coin toss, as the sun continued to peek through the mountainous backdrop, and it was the Austrian side who began the contest in much brighter fashion.

Ivorian Karim Konate first tried an audacious effort from halfway in an attempt to lob Max Merrick in the Chelsea net, but his short fell well short.

The hosts were enjoying a flurry of corners before the 10-minute mark hit and the young Red Bulls made their early pressure count as Crescenti slotted them in front early on, after being put through on goal following a break of the ball.

Quick reaction

The Blues were not behind for long, however, and reacted encouragingly. After a smart touch by Soonsup-Bell freed Jimi Taurianen, the wide-man beat his man on the left flank and put in an inviting cross for Mothersille to coolly finish.

The attacker met the cross with a controlled side-foot to lift the ball over Krumrey.

That goal gave Chelsea’s No.11 newfound confidence, with him growing into the game as we reached the halfway stage of the first half, with another shot on target coming on the 25-minute mark, but his attempt was straight at the goalkeeper.

Despite a spell of possession after levelling the scores, a short-period in which Lewis Hall began to show his qualities, our goalkeeper was asked to produce something spectacular, tipping a Moswitzer header round the post after a wicked corner was drilled in.

Another run of corners eventually led to the third goal, and the hosts re-taking the lead. Soonsup-Bell was adjudged to have handled the ball by blocking a young Red Bulls shot from range, and the Serbian referee pointed to the spot.

The attacker was booked for the foul despite his protests and Konate slotted the penalty away to Merrick’s right, even though the keeper dived the right way.

The striker then added his second of the game as he was put through on goal, rounding Merrick before passing a left-footed shot into an empty net. That gave Salzburg a two-goal lead at the interval.

Missed opportunity

The first notable action of the second period saw Chelsea awarded a penalty, after Taurianen was taken out by a poorly timed tackle despite managing an effort on goal.

Charlie Webster clutched the ball, like he did in our last UEFA Youth League outing, but the No.6 could not score this time round, placing the ball to the goalkeeper’s left, but it was well saved.

Krumrey then tipped a Runham shot round the post moments later as Chelsea went in search of a second. Another chance came 10 minutes later after a brilliant piece of link-up between Webster and Runham. The latter then played in Mothersille, but his attempt was blocked from six yards.

We made a double change just after the hour mark as Silko Thomas and Harrison McMahon entered the action, but in truth that didn’t alter the flow of the contest too greatly, as Konate notched a hat-trick after chipping a well-taken goal into the back of the net.

That all but sealed victory for the young Red Bulls, who went to second in Group E on eight points. Lechner added a fifth after he placed a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

What this means

Our young Blues knew that anything other than a win would see us knocked out, with the last time we exited the competition at this stage coming three seasons ago in 2019/20 season.

After defeat this afternoon, we are now out with one game to play, which comes against Dinamo Zagreb back home.

The teams

RB Salzburg (4-2-3-1): Jonas Krumrey; Mark Gevorgyan, Marcel Moswitzer, Lukas Wallner (c), Mario Pejazic; Mohammad Sadeqi (Tim Paumgartner 69’), Tolgahan Sahin (Rocco Zikovic 74’); Federico Crescenti (Dominik Lechner 69’), Jano Zeteny, (Luka Reischl 74’), Raphael Hofer; Karim Konate (Tim Trummer 79’)

Unused subs: Balasz Toth, Kevin Lebersorger

Scorers: Crescenti 13’, Konate 33’ (p), 39’, 71', Lechner 90+1'

Booked: Gevorgyan 47’

Chelsea (3-4-1-2): Max Merrick; Brodi Hughes, Bashir Humphreys (c), Zak Sturge (Harrison Mcmahon 64’); Frankie Runham (Derrick Abu 74’), Lewis Hall, Charlie Webster, Jimi Taurianen; Leo Castledine (Tudor Mendel-Idowu 74’); Malik Mothersille, Jude Soonsup-Bell (Silko Thomas 64’)

Unused subs: Sami Tlemcani, Harrison Murray-Campbell

Scorer: Mothersille 16’

Booked: Soonsup-Bell 31’, Humphreys 55’, Castledine 68’

Referee: Milos Milanovic