Christian Pulisic made his first appearance in a Chelsea shirt as Frank Lampard’s side lost 1-0 to J-League champions Kawasaki Frontale today in Yokohama.
It took over an hour to get a shot on target in front of a packed 61,012 crowd, then Kenedy had their best chance saved later.
Lampard had a good look at a 4-2-3-1 formation and stuck with that system as he made nine changes through the game.
Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic were his midfield screeners, although N’Golo Kante was not fit enough for the bench.
It ends in defeat in Japan, but that’s another solid 90 minutes of fitness work in the tank. ?#CFCinJapan pic.twitter.com/ejgmXuHleP
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 19, 2019
Kepa Arrizabalaga and Tammy Abraham missed the game through illness and Lampard got all but one of his other outfield players some game time.
Mason Mount and Pedro had shots off target in the first half as Chelsea desperately needed a kick-start against Kawasaki.
Everything that’s right & wrong about Japanese football in one 10-minute sequence. J.League champions Kawasaki roll Chelsea late for a 1-0 win, award MOTM to a guy that played NINE minutes then forced David Luiz to pose with a giant cardboard cut-out of tyres…. pic.twitter.com/DUtzcxGusc
— Scott McIntyre (@mcintinhos) July 19, 2019
Kenedy was slipped through but was blocked by Shota Arai, who also denied Olivier Giroud from a free-kick.
Then came the late blow when Leandro struck, shortly after hitting the bar with a header.
Kawasaki Frontale winner against Chelsea #CFCinJapan
? ~ @J_Leaguepic.twitter.com/FE6dJc0kVN
— Swype Sports ™ (@SwypeSports) July 19, 2019
For the winner he nodded in at the far post to send fans wild.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Caballero 6: Azpilicueta 5 (Zappacosta 45, 6), Luiz 6, Zouma 5 (Christensen 45, 6), Alonso 5 (Emerson 45, 5): Kovacic 6 (Bakayoko 56, 5), Jorginho 7 (Drinkwater 56, 5): Pedro 7 (Barkley 45, 6), Mount 6 (Pulisic 64, 6), Kenedy 6 (Palmer 71, 5): Batshuayi 5 (Giroud 45, 6)