Chelsea were held to a thrilling 3-3 draw by Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim in a pre-season friendly at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Sunday (nst.com.my). The match, which saw both teams showcase their strengths and weaknesses, ended in a fiery contest that highlighted several concerns for the English giants.
The draw came as part of Chelsea’s pre-season tour, with manager Xabi Alonso making 11 changes to his squad during the match (theguardian.com). Among the key moments was a double from Liam Delap, who scored twice from the spot, though the match was marred by controversy. A poor challenge from Johor Darul Ta’zim’s Antonio Glauder on Delap led to a heated exchange, with new set-piece coach Austin MacPhee involved in a clash with the player (thesun.co.uk).
Injuries also added to Chelsea’s woes, with Aaron Anselmino and Trevoh Chalobah both forced off during the match (standard.co.uk). The result, while a point earned, exposed issues within the squad, including a bloated forward selection and inexperience, as Alonso continues to integrate new players into his system.
