Xabi Alonso secured his first win as Chelsea manager on Tuesday as his team defeated Western Sydney Wanderers 6-4 in a thrilling Sydney Super Cup match. The decisive moment arrived late in the game when Brazilian forward Joao Pedro completed a rapid hat-trick in just nine minutes to seal the result.
Appointed on July 1, the former Real Madrid manager fielded a youthful squad at Stadium Australia, missing several first-team regulars during the pre-season tour. The match was highly competitive, with Chelsea overcoming a deficit on three separate occasions. Debutant Dastan Satpaev opened the scoring early, but defensive lapses allowed the Wanderers to lead twice during the second half.
This performance provides a morale boost for Alonso, who aims to improve the club’s standing following a disappointing 10th-place finish last season. The team will face a more significant challenge this Saturday against Tottenham Hotspur at the same venue. While Chelsea has signed four new players this summer, only Marco Palestra is currently participating in the tour. The squad utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation, blending academy graduates with established players like Tosin, Liam Delap, and Josh Acheampong. Following a flurry of second-half substitutions, including the entry of Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, Chelsea successfully shifted the momentum to secure the final scoreline.
