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Writer's pictureBy Paul Lagan at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea level with last kick of the game to make it 1-1 against a disciplined Ingter Milan side at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea v Inter Milan team sheet. Picture by Paul Lagan

By Paul Lagan at Stamford Bridge


Chelsea 1 v Inter Milan 1


'Chelsea are going to have to score three if they are going to win,' said one wag in the press room, highlighting the Blues inability to keep a clean sheet as they drew 1-1 in the final pre-season match against Inter Milan.

It took until the last meaningful kick of the game for the home side to score the leveller..

Inter took the lead and looked comfortable for the majority of the game.

While Chelsea with the new philosophy of trying keeping the ball and, presumably getting it to the opposition area, is a work in progress.

Next Sunday they face Manchester City in the Premier League so that will be the true acid test of where this Chelsea team are.

It took nine minutes of painstaking pass, pass pass by the home side for them to get the ball into the Inter penalty box.

And it was almost first shot on target and first goal, but Spain's Marc Guiu' left-footer was well parried away with his left hand by Yann Sommer.

Marc Cucurella had a sliced effort on goal, easily held by Sommer on 22 minutes, effectively the second time the Blues got in to the opposition's area.

This is a Chelsea era where it's expected they will have to score two or three goals to win a game as they will always be susceptible to a quick counter.

And so it proved on 27 minutes when three simple passes cut through the Chelsea midfield with Joaquin Correa sliding the ball to Marcus Thuram, who thumped home an unstoppable left footer from the edge of the Chelsea area, leaving Robert Sanchez grasping at air.

Levi Colwill and Francesco Acerbi had a little bit of rough and tumble on 30 minutes, which resulted in both getting a yellow card.

Inter cut the Blues apart a minute later but Federico Di Marco's unchallenged weak head was easily held by Sanchez.

Sommer was quick to tip away a Guiu flicked effort on 37 minutes after the Blues played some excellent possession play just outside the Inter area.

Cucurella went in the ref's book for a late challenge on Thuram.

Changes are inevitable at this stage of pre-season, and the new boss brought on at half-time Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Moises Caicedo, and Renato Veiga.

An overhead kick by Nkunku on 54 minutes drew applause from the crowd, but the shot was saved by Sommer.

Guiu's game ended on 56 minutes, Nicolas Jackson replaced the striker.

Colwell then hit the post as the home side put on a bit of pressure in the final third.

That was the end of his game as he was replaced by Badiashile during a drinks break on 68 minutes, with Tosin replacing Fofana.

He was soon followed by Raheem Sterling for Mykhailo Mudryk on 78 minutes.

And then there was Lesley Ugochukwu on for Malo Gusto two minutes later.

With the last kick of the game Ugochukwu smashed home from just inside the area after Palmer's free kick was headed straight out to the midfielder.


Teams: Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella, Lavia, Dewsbury-Hall, Enzo, Noni, Mudryk, Gusto, Guiu.

Subs: Jorgensen, Bettinelli, Tosin, Badiashile, Disasi, Chilwell, Veiga, Caicedo, Ugochukwu, Chukwuemeka, Nkunku, Palmer, Sterling, Jackson


Inter: Sommer, Bisseck, Acerbi, C Augusto, Darmian, Barella, Asilani, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco, Thuram, Correa

Subs: Di Gennaro, Martinez, Dumfries, Frattesi, Salcedo, Pavard, Fontanarosa, Alexiou, Berenbruch, Quieto, Topalovic, Bastoni



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