Lesley Ugochukwu scored a last-minute equaliser as Enzo Maresca’s first game in charge at Stamford Bridge ended with a deserved draw against the Italian champions Inter.
It was an excellent final workout of pre-season in sweltering conditions. First minutes of the summer were handed to Marc Cucurella, Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, and only the woodwork and a string of great saves from Yann Sommer prevented us finding the net before Ugochukwu fired home from 12 yards out with almost the last kick.
The busy Marc Guiu was denied by Sommer twice during a first half in which Marcus Thuram spectacularly blasted Inter in front on one of their rare forays forward.
After the break, Christopher Nkunku’s spectacular effort was tipped around the post by Sommer, Levi Colwill smashed a shot against the post, and Palmer turned a low effort wide.
The equaliser eventually arrived when a Palmer set-piece in the 90th minute was cleared only as far as Ugochukwu, who netted his second goal of pre-season with a well-struck half-volley that was too hot for even Sommer to handle.
Maresca will have been encouraged by his team’s cohesion and energy on a baking hot afternoon in west London. He will also have the services of Pedro Neto to call upon when our Premier League campaign gets underway in a week: the attacker was paraded in front of the fans at half-time after his signature was confirmed.
Next up: the real business!
Euro winner returns
Cucurella came straight into the starting XI having returned to training earlier in the week following his exploits at Euro 2024. Palmer, who scored in the final of that tournament, was named on the bench.
Axel Disasi and Jackson were also among the substitutes having not featured on our US Tour as they recovered from injury.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Guiu started for their first appearance at the Bridge. Renato Veiga and Tosin Adarabioyo, off the bench, would join them in doing so later.
Enzo Fernandez captained and there were also places in the side for Wesley Fofana, Robert Sanchez and Mykhailo Mudryk.
New Blues welcomed
On a glorious afternoon in SW6, there were huge cheers from the crowd when Maresca was introduced to the Blues faithful before kick-off. When play got underway, an equally loud roar greeted a blocked challenge by Guiu in front of the Shed as we pressed Inter backwards.
It was the young Spaniard who had the first shot in anger at the end of a smooth Chelsea move that began in our own half. He bounced a half-volley into the ground and up, forcing Sommer into a fine one-handed save.
Midway through the half, Sommer had less difficulty dealing with a Cucurella effort that stemmed from a corner we kept alive.
Inter had barely posed a threat but it was they who took the lead in the 26th minute. Thuram latched on to a Joaquin Correa pass and fired an emphatic finish high into Sanchez’s top corner.
Guiu goes close again
Dewsbury-Hall and Guiu had shots blocked in response. With ten minutes of the half remaining, Sommer was again at his best to get fingertips to an instinctive touch from Guiu. Cucurella had initially driven goalwards.
There was plenty of excitement during the interval. Our new signing Neto emerged from the tunnel to meet his new fans; John Terry – with just a bit more Blues experience behind him! – also came out; and then a quartet of players were brought off the bench: Veiga, Moises Caicedo, Nkunku and Palmer.
Acrobatic Nkunku - and Sommer
A fantastic reaction save from Sanchez stopped Federico Dimarco doubling Inter’s advantage with a far-post volley. At the other end, Palmer wasted no time trying to make things happen, while Nkunku brought the Bridge to its feet with a stunning bicycle kick. Again we found Sommer at his best.
From the resulting corner, Mudryk cleverly released Colwill, who did have the beating of Sommer but not the left-hand post, the ball crunching back into play.
By now Jackson was on for his first appearance this summer, and his hustling in the centre of the pitch set up another dangerous Chelsea attack. Palmer found Mudryk who moved it on to Nkunku. Unfortunately, the Frenchman’s prodded effort was beyond Jackson and the far post.
Palmer steered an effort wide from sub Raheem Sterling’s cutback, and it was those two who would play their part in the leveller.
Level at last
Sterling's speed and skill won a free-kick right on the edge of the box, and when Palmer's floated delivery landed at Ugochukwu's feet, the midfielder made no mistake to send everyone home happy. Now the focus turns to the visit of Man City.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Sanchez; Gusto (Ugochukwu 80), Fofana (Tosin 69), Colwill (Badiashile 69), Cucurella (Veiga h/t); Enzo (c), Lavia (Caicedo h/t), Dewsbury-Hall (Nkunku h/t); Madueke (Palmer h/t), Guiu (Jackson 56), Mudryk (Sterling 78)
Unused subs Jorgensen, Bettinelli, Disasi, Chilwell, Chukwuemeka
Scorer Ugochukwu 90
Booked Colwill 31, Cucurella 43
Inter (4-4-2): Sommer; Darmian (Dumfries 60), Bisseck (Fontanarosa 71), Acerbi (Pavard 60), Augusto; Barella (c) (Topalovic 84), Asllani (Frattesi 58), Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram (Salcedo 61), Correa (Quieto 75)
Unused subs Di Gennaro, Martinez, Alexiou, Bastoni, Berenbruch
Scorer Thuram 26
Booked Acerbi 31, Mkhitaryan 59
