Joao Pedro stars as Chelsea beat Western Sydney 6-4
Scored a nine-minute hat-trick as Chelsea beat Western Sydney Wanderers 6-4 in Xabi Alonso’s first match as manager. The Brazilian forward also set up a goal…
SYDNEY — Joao Pedro scored a nine-minute hat-trick as Chelsea beat Western Sydney Wanderers 6-4 in Xabi Alonso’s first match as manager on Tuesday. The Brazilian forward also set up a goal after coming on in the second half at Accor Stadium.
The win gave Chelsea a lively pre-season result, but it also exposed how open the game became after a frenetic second period. Chelsea trailed 3-2 when Alonso sent on Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Estevao in the 63rd minute. Moments later, the match swung.
Joao Pedro made the difference fast. Very fast.
Joao Pedro turns the game
Three minutes after his introduction, Joao Pedro drove past defenders and created Chelsea’s third goal for Jamie Gittens. Two minutes after Awaniyen Lual restored Western Sydney’s lead, Joao Pedro struck again to make it 4-4.
He finished the job late on. Four minutes from time, he found the bottom corner for Chelsea’s fifth before sealing the victory on the stroke of full-time with his third goal. The Brazilian’s haul was the standout performance in a match packed with goals.
Alonso did not hide his satisfaction after the game. “He’s very hungry – Joao is really, really determined to have a great season,” he told chelseafc.com.
“He wants to – after a great last year, where he scored many goals – I think that he wants to keep scoring more and more. But we need to help him, as on his own it’s not possible.”
That message fits Chelsea’s wider plan in the window. Alonso said the club need “balance” and “a complete squad”, with talks continuing around experienced additions such as Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck, both 36 and 35 respectively.
Joao Pedro’s role matters for another reason. Chelsea finished last season with him as their top scorer across all competitions, with 23 goals and nine assists in 52 games, and he also led the club’s Premier League scoring with 15 goals. This was another reminder of why the club value him so highly.
What it means for Chelsea
For Chelsea, the result offered more than a pre-season win. It showed a forward line that can change a match quickly, even when the team starts slowly and the defence looks shaky. It also gave Alonso an early glimpse of what his side can produce once his senior attackers settle in.
There was still plenty of looseness in the performance. BBC noted the match highlighted the gulf between Premier League and A-League sides, while Chelsea looked to be adjusting to jet lag for much of the contest. Dastan Satpayev, a 17-year-old triallist, scored Chelsea’s first goal of the Alonso era after six minutes, while Liam Delap again struggled in attack.
That contrast mattered. Joao Pedro looked sharp and decisive. Delap did not. Chelsea’s next pre-season game in Australia comes against Tottenham Hotspur in Sydney, where Alonso will get another look at a squad still taking shape.
For now, the headline belongs to Joao Pedro. Nine minutes. Three goals. One match changed.
