Chelsea Edge Fulham 3-2 in Thriller as Xabi Alonso Era Begins
Al Jazeera English
Chelsea kicked off the Xabi Alonso era with a dramatic 3-2 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage. Goals from Joao Pedro, Morgan Rogers, and Cole Palmer sealed the victory, with the opener coming just 31 seconds into the match.
Chelsea began their new era under head coach Xabi Alonso with a thrilling 3-2 victory over local rivals Fulham in the opening match of the Premier League season. The attacking trio of Joao Pedro, Morgan Rogers, and Cole Palmer all found the net for the visitors.
The match at Craven Cottage started favorably for Chelsea from the very first seconds. In the 31st second, Cole Palmer – back in impressive form after a long spell on the sidelines with injury – played a pass to Joao Pedro, and the Brazilian striker cleverly flicked the ball over goalkeeper Bernd Leno to open the scoring. This was the fastest goal ever scored on the opening matchday in the Premier League's 34-year history.
Fulham equalized in the 24th minute when Josh King beat goalkeeper Robert Sanchez with a low shot to the near post, delighting the home fans in the West London derby.
However, in the 41st minute, Chelsea regained the lead. New signing, center-back Maxence Lacroix, drove down the right flank before crossing for Morgan Rogers – Chelsea's record £117 million ($159.4 million) acquisition – who finished accurately.
Early in the second half, Joao Pedro showed his excellent understanding with Palmer, holding up the ball before setting up the Englishman, whose low shot beat Leno through his legs to make it 3-1. After the match, Palmer told Sky Sports that he had worked extremely hard to return after a difficult season plagued by injuries.
Fulham pulled a goal back in the 54th minute through Gonzalo Garcia on his Premier League debut, after Sanchez could only parry Timothy Castagne's effort. In the 78th minute, the hosts had a chance to equalize as Antonee Robinson raced through on goal, but his chip went wide of the post.
In this match, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was booed by the home crowd every time he touched the ball after being introduced in the second half. In contrast, Xabi Alonso enjoyed a perfect start in his first official match in charge of Chelsea, defeating his former Liverpool and Spain teammate, Alvaro Arbeloa, who now manages Fulham.
As for Chelsea, Alonso is still awaiting the return of Moises Caicedo and defender Marco Palestra to add solidity, while goalkeeper Sanchez could soon face competition from Mike Penders, who has just returned from a spell at Racing Strasbourg.
