Maurizio
Sarri's first game in charge of Chelsea ended in victory as his new side
beat Perth Glory 1-0 at the Optus Stadium on Monday.
Pedro scored the only goal of the game with a well-taken early strike after
good approach play by the lively Callum Hudson-Odoi.
However, a raft of second-half changes by Sarri led to a disjointed match,
although the Italian will still be delighted to have made a winning start to
life as Chelsea's new head coach.
It took the Premier League side just five minutes to break the deadlock in
Western Australia after Hudson-Odoi's quick feet earned himself space down
the left flank.
The 17-year-old then picked out a perfect pull back from which Pedro
side-footed home from eight yards for the club's first goal of pre-season.
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Midfielder Jorginho made his Chelsea debut after his summer move from
Napoli, while Poland youth-team 'keeper Marcin Bulka, 18, started between
the posts.
In truth, the contest in front of 55,500 people in Perth largely resembled a
low-key practice match at times, such was the disparity between the two
teams, with the hosts' season still two months away from starting.
Sarri will have still learned much from watching his players in action for
the first time, with only three - captain Cesc Fabregas, young goalkeeper
Marcin Bulka and the returning David Luiz - staying on for the whole 90
minutes.
One man who did impress in the driving rain was recent new £57m signing
Jorginho, with the Italy international controlling proceedings from his
station in central midfield before being substituted at half-time.
Chelsea could have added further goals after the break, only for Ross
Barkley - impressing in a more forward position in the second half - to hit
the post seven minutes into the second period.
All in all, though, Sarri - who set his team up in a 4-3-3 formation - will
have taken plenty of positives from his first outing in the Chelsea dugout
as he prepares for the start of the new Premier League campaign.
What's next?
Chelsea take on Serie A side Inter Milan in Nice in the International
Champions Cup on Saturday, July 28, with the game kicking off at 7.05pm.
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