Chelsea manager Frank Lampard joked that his "babies" in the squad had passed a key European test away to Ajax.
The Blues traded blows with their Dutch counterparts for much of the game, but they remained in the clash and grabbed their chance late in the game.
Chelsea secured a 1-0 away win through a goal from Michy Batshuayi.
And Lampard was impressed with how the younger members of his squad handled themselves in the game.
He said in his press conference after the match: "The younger players are still babies in Champions League minutes so this was a huge test for them.
"Football will continue to give you tests all the time so I don't want to say they're there or this is it but I thought the balance of our team between the young players who are learning quickly and the experienced players who they rely on them to set examples was good.
"We just need to realise the things that made that result happen tonight because Ajax are a top team, the atmosphere was difficult for us.
"We respected Ajax and that's how we should be. I focus on ourselves a lot and the most pleasing thing I see at the minute is the desire to improve, take on information and follow a game plan.
"When you come into a new club, you do make changes and you rely on all the squad taking those bits in and working with that but the signs are good at the moment."
