BREAKING NEWS: “This boy is really talented. He impressed me a lot today, and I’d love to have him on the Manchester City team since Mauricio Pochettino couldn’t manage young talents well,” said Pep Guardiola, expressing his wish to have a Chelsea player before he retires.
Chelsea faced Wrexham in their first game under new manager Enzo Maresca, finishing with a 2-2 draw after a dramatic equalizer in the 90th minute. Maresca and several Chelsea players received praise for their performance.
The match started with an excellent Reece James corner that was cleared to the edge of the box. Tyrique George quickly took a shot that deflected to Nkunku, who capitalized on the opportunity and scored, giving Chelsea a 1-0 lead in the first half.
Chelsea’s lineup changed significantly between halves. The starting XI was Sanchez, R. James, Tosin, Badiashile, Colwill, Lavia, Chukwuemeka, Nkunku, Madueke, Guiu, and George. For the second half, the team switched to Bergstrom, Gusto, Acheampong, Fofana, Chilwell, Ugochukwu, Chukwuemeka, Santos, Sterling, Broja, and Angelo. Despite the changes, Chelsea managed to hold on for a draw.
Reece James was crucial, securing his position in the manager’s first-team squad despite a four-match ban. He impressed with his performance and was instrumental in Chelsea’s first goal against Wrexham.
Marc Guiu also stood out, handling the pressure of his debut at Stamford Bridge well and contributing to Chelsea’s 2-2 equalizer.
Reports indicate that Chelsea now has a roster full of talented players capable of performing under pressure, a stark contrast to their struggles last season under the previous manager.
Sterling tested the Wrexham goalkeeper from a tight angle, but Wrexham leveled the score after 58 minutes. A low cross from the left found Bolton, who finished at the far post.
Maresca’s defense showed signs of disorganization during the pre-season match. McClean exploited this with a free run into space, although he failed to connect his cutback with waiting attackers.
Wrexham shocked Chelsea again in the 71st minute with sharp pressing that led to a quick pass setting up Marriott, who had too much space and scored into the bottom corner past Bergstrom.
Chelsea struggled to regain control, narrowly avoiding a second goal from Marriott thanks to a low stop and a missed shot by McClean.
With their first game under Maresca resulting in a draw, Chelsea is eager to secure more victories in future matches.