Chelsea secured a 3-0 victory over AC Milan in a pre-season fixture played in Jakarta, bouncing back from consecutive earlier defeats. The performance marked the strongest display under manager Xabi Alonso to date, with the team adopting a 3-4-3 formation that proved effective against the Serie A side.
Joao Pedro was instrumental in the victory, opening the scoring just before halftime when he peeled away from Milan’s goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani to head home a delivery from Moises Caicedo at the back post. The forward added a second goal immediately after the restart, converting from close range at the back post after Pedro Neto delivered an in-swinging cross from the wing.
Caicedo contributed to the third goal by converting a volley from another corner kick in the opening minutes of the second half. Set pieces proved particularly productive, with Chelsea scoring twice from corner opportunities in the 90-minute contest. The set-piece improvement was attributed to newly appointed coach Austin McPhee, marking a significant development for the team’s tactical approach.
Chelsea’s left wing-back Marco Palestra earned praise for his performance in the match. Substitutes Geovany Quenda and Nicolas Jackson both created chances but were denied by the woodwork. The victory provided valuable game time for the majority of the starting lineup in what represented an important step forward during the team’s pre-season preparation.
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