Chelsea kicked off with a thrilling 2-2 draw against League One side Wrexham in Santa Clara, California in their pre-season tour of the United States .
It was a dramatic first game for new manager Enzo Maresca.
The Blues started brightly, with Christopher Nkunku giving them the lead in the 35th minute with a sharp finish in the penalty area.
Despite their promising start, Maresca’s men couldn’t maintain their advantage after halftime, as both teams made several substitutions.
Wrexham came roaring back in the second half, with Luke Bolton and Jack Marriott capitalising on defensive errors to overturn the score. The match was intensely competitive from the outset, with early tensions involving Levi Colwill and James McClean nearly resulting in red cards.
Chelsea’s captain, Reece James, was unlucky not to double the lead with a curling free-kick that struck the post. He also delivered a series of dangerous corners, but the Blues were unable to convert their chances into a larger lead.
- I don’t think there are any problems at all – Chelsea coach on Enzo Fernandez
- Final day title challenges unfavourable for Arsenal’s Premier League target
The second half saw Wrexham level the score after Lesley Ugochukwu failed to clear Seb Revan’s cross, which Bolton converted at the far post. Wrexham took the lead through a stunning low drive by Marriott, following a mistake by Josh Acheampong. Marriott could have added to his tally, but his subsequent effort was well saved by Chelsea’s second-half goalkeeper, Lucas Bergstrom.
The London-based sidemanaged to salvage a draw with a late equaliser from Ugochukwu, who made amends for his earlier error with a composed left-foot finish, following a slick move involving substitutes Angelo Gabriel and Armando Broja.
Thank you, Santa Clara. #BluesInTheUSA pic.twitter.com/hpAUFzbJ4B
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 25, 2024
Wrexham’s performance added to their positive pre-season, following a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth.
Chelsea to continue pre-season campaign
This match was Chelsea’s opening friendly of their pre-season tour and Enzo Maresca’s first game in charge.
The Blues will look to build on this result as they continue their tour and prepare for the upcoming season.
The post Chelsea draw 2-2 with League One side Wrexham in Maresca’s debut first appeared on 3News.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS