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27 July 2024

Strong Chelsea Side Thrashed By Celtic In Indiana  (Sky Sports)

Celtic vs ChelseaChelsea were humbled 4-1 by Celtic in the second game of their USA pre-season tour on Saturday, despite fielding a strong team at the Notre Dame Stadium in Indiana.

A line-up including Wesley Fofana, Reece James, Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia was put to the sword by Brendan Rodgers' side, with Matt O'Riley getting the scoring underway following a short corner.

Chelsea had dominated the opening exchanges to that point and twice tested Kasper Schmeichel in the Celtic goal, but fell apart from then on and needed Robert Sanchez at full stretch to keep out a second when Kyogo turned Daizen Maeda's cross goalwards.

It soon was two however, as Kyogo tapped in O'Riley's cross to double the advantage.

Chelsea made three half-time changes and one of those, Raheem Sterling, hit the post within moments after Marc Guiu had been denied by Schmeichel.

The ex-England winger went close again before Celtic were handed a gift of a third from a Benoit Badiashile mistake, which was finished off by Luis Palma.

Mickey Johnston made it four before Nkunku pulled one back from the penalty spot after Sterling was fouled in the Celtic box.

Chelsea can only hope for better after failing to beat Wrexham and now Celtic in the opening two games of their tour, with Mexican side Club America next up in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Chelsea's starting XI: 1 Robert Sanchez; 24 Reece James (C), 5 Benoit Badiashile, 29 Wesley Fofana, 6 Levi Colwill; 45 Romeo Lavia, 17 Carney Chukwuemeka, 18 Christopher Nkunku; 11 Noni Madueke, 38 Marc Guiu, 10 Mykhailo Mudryk.

Substitutes: 4 Tosin Adarabioyo for Fofana 46, 16 Lesley Ugochukwu for Chukwuemeka 46, 7 Raheem Sterling for Mudryk 46, 39 Andrey Santos for Lavia 67, 27 Malo Gusto for James 67, 41 Angelo for Madueke 79, 47 Lucas Bergstrom for Sanchez 80, 40 Renato Veiga for Colwill 80, 32 Tyrique George for Guiu 86

Unused substitutes: 50 Eddie Beach, 34 Josh Acheampong, 21 Ben Chilwell, 19 Armando Broja

Goal: Nkunku 89