•Chelsea’s Joao Pedro (2nd R) and teammates celebrate goal against Western Sydney Wanderers, today
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso got his reign off to a winning start today in a dramatic 6-4 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers, with Brazilian striker Joao Pedro scoring a late nine-minute hat-trick to ensure victory.
The former Real Madrid coach, who took over on July 1, is without many of his big guns for their pre-season tour and played 60 minutes with a side full of youth at Stadium Australia, reports AFP.
It was a see-sawing affair, with Chelsea coming from behind three times.
Kazakh 17-year-old Dastan Satpaev lashed home on his debut in the sixth minute, but Chelsea then conceded twice with their defence run ragged before Portugal youth international Dario Essugo made it 2-2.
The Sydney side then went 3-2 and 4-3 ahead in the second half before Pedro’s heroics.
“I think it has been a very useful friendly that we can learn a lot from,” Alonso said.
“There were moments that we were struggling to find solutions, and we need to have this. The positive is that we corrected them.
“And there were moments where the game management is something that we can learn from.
“But useful for the future, and as well for minutes for everyone, and no injuries.
“The young ones got good experience, and the senior ones they came on with good impact.”
Alonso faces a huge task to get Chelsea back in the running for major honours after their 10th-place finish last season and failure to make Europe.
An even tougher test will come on Saturday when they meet London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the same venue before further friendlies in Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Chelsea have made four key summer signings so far as they rebuild — attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers, winger Geovany Quenda, defender Marco Palestra and striker Emmanuel Emegha.
Only Italy’s Palestra, who arrived from Serie A side Atalanta, is on the tour, with World Cup players including England’s Reece James and Argentina’s Enzo Fernandes also absent.
Alonso deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation with Josh Acheampong, Liam Delap and Tosin Adarabioyo — who began as captain — providing experience to a team featuring several youngsters who came through the Chelsea academy.
They got off to a flyer when Satpaev raced clear after a lovely through ball by Ryan Kavuma-McQueen and finished powerfully.
But it was a fleeting lead, with the Wanderers’ Anthony Pantazopoulos nodding home from a corner eight minutes later with Chelsea guilty of poor defending.
It sparked the home team into life and Aydan Hammond made it 2-1 with a cool side-footed finish after Chelsea were sliced open again at the back.
Essugo’s goal was quality, finishing off a flowing move with a one-two off Reggie Walsh before stroking into the far corner to send them to the break all square.
Once again Chelsea went to sleep, and a lovely turn and finish from Dylan Scicluna put the Sydney side 3-2 ahead in the 62nd minute with Alonso making nine changes immediately after.
Cole Palmer came on and the intensity lifted to set up a sensational finale that included five more goals as Pedro staked his claim to be Chelsea’s first-choice striker.
