Game is over and the final score is Chelsea 6-4 Western Sydney Wanderers. Here is the match report.
2026 Club Friendlies
6-4
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
7' GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Western Sydney Wanderers (Dastan Satpaev)
10' Match Event for Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers
13' Highlight from Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers
14' GOAL! Chelsea 1-1 Western Sydney Wanderers (Anthony Pantazopoulos)
17' Highlight from Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers
32' GOAL! Chelsea 1-2 Western Sydney Wanderers (Aydan Hammond)
34' Highlight from Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers
38' GOAL! Chelsea 2-2 Western Sydney Wanderers (Dário Essugo)
43' Highlight from Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers
60' Highlight from Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers
63' GOAL! Chelsea 2-3 Western Sydney Wanderers (Dylan Scicluna)
66' GOAL! Chelsea 3-3 Western Sydney Wanderers (Jamie Gittens)
78' GOAL! Chelsea 3-4 Western Sydney Wanderers (Awan Lual)
80' GOAL! Chelsea 4-4 Western Sydney Wanderers (João Pedro)
83' Highlight from Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers
85' GOAL! Chelsea 5-4 Western Sydney Wanderers (João Pedro)
89' GOAL! Chelsea 6-4 Western Sydney Wanderers (João Pedro)
Match Report
Joao Pedro came off the bench to score a hat-trick as Xabi Alonso's first game in charge of Chelsea saw them come from behind three times to beat Western Sydney Wanderers 6-4 in a chaotic pre-season friendly.
Alonso named an inexperienced starting XI for the first game of Chelsea's tour of Australia and Asia, but it was one of his big names that saved the day in the second half.
There were goals at both ends within the first 14 minutes, in a sign of things to come. Kazakhstan forward Dastan Satpayev lashed home to put Chelsea in front, but Western Sydney drew level when Brandon Borrello flicked Angus Thurgate's corner towards the far post, where Anthony Pantazopoulos nodded over the line.
Chelsea continued to look vulnerable at the back and fell behind for the first time in the 32nd minute, as Aydan Hammond beat Josh Acheampong with a lovely touch before driving into the near corner.
The Blues were only behind for six minutes as Dario Essugo stroked across goal after a one-two with Reggie Walsh, but the A-League side restored their lead just after the hour mark, with a sensational turn freeing up Dylan Scicluna to find the bottom-left corner.
That goal provoked a swathe of changes from Alonso, with Cole Palmer among the big names to enter the fray, and two Chelsea substitutes linked up for a quickfire equaliser as Joao Pedro's cutback was side-footed home by Jamie Gittens.
A mix-up between Estevao and Reggie Watson near the edge of the Blues' area allowed Awan Lual to put Western Sydney in front for a third time, but Joao Pedro single-handedly ensured Alonso's reign started with a victory.
The Brazilian picked out the bottom-right corner when Gittens' left-wing cross was only half-cleared in the 80th minute, then capped a clinical counter-attack with a composed finish five minutes later.
And the forward ensured he went home with the match ball when he flicked into the net at the end of a goalmouth scramble with stoppage time looming, capping a 10-goal thriller.
First pre-season minutes in the tank for the Blues. pic.twitter.com/FC9iNXs3mU
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 28, 2026
Joao Pedro shrugs off Brazil snub
Alonso's first Chelsea starting XI had an unfamiliar feel, with only four of Tuesday's starters (Tosin Adarabioyo, Acheampong, Essugo and Liam Delap) having made a Premier League appearance last season.
And there was certainly a naivety to Chelsea's defending, both before and after Alonso made sweeping changes in the second half. While the Blues racked up 25 shots and 3.27 expected goals, Western Sydney had 20 attempts and 1.81 xG of their own.
Ultimately, though, it was Joao Pedro who stole the headlines, after being surprisingly omitted from Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad for the World Cup.
Having only entered the fray in the 63rd minute, he led all players on the pitch for shots (four), xG (0.86), shots inside the area (four) and touches in the opposition box (eight, level with Gittens).
It may be a summer of change at Stamford Bridge, but Joao Pedro has laid down an early marker to be Chelsea's starting striker versus Fulham on August 24.
Line-ups
Chelsea XI: Adarabioyo, Liam Delap, Dário Essugo, Teddy Sharman-Lowe, Josh Acheampong, Olutayo Subuloye, Landon Emenalo, Reggie Walsh, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, Dastan Satpaev, Reggie Watson
Subs: Robert Sánchez, Cole Palmer, Wesley Fofana, João Pedro, Colwill, Gittens, Lavia, Ted Curd, Marco Palestra, Omari Kellyman, Estêvão, Aarón Anselmino, Calvin Diakite, Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli
Western Sydney Wanderers XI: Germán Ferreyra, Brandon Borrello, Alex Gersbach, Jordan Holmes, Angus Thurgate, Liam Gillion, Panashe Madanha, Dylan Scicluna, Miguel Di Pizio, Aydan Hammond, Anthony Pantazopoulos
Subs: Lawrence Thomas, Steven Ugarkovic, Jarrod Carluccio, Nicolas Milanovic, Tristan Vidackovic, Nathan Barrie, Awan Lual, Jai Rose, Alaat Abdul-Rahman, Marcus Savic, Georgio Hassarati, Ricky Fransen, Emile Katrib, Atiya Waraga, Oscar Morrison, Joshua Cetinic