Chelsea ended their pre-season tour with a chaotic 3-3 draw against Johor Darul Ta’zim in Malaysia on Sunday, with the planned penalty shootout eventually cancelled after a bad-tempered contest.
The Blues twice found themselves behind before rescuing a draw in a match that featured six goals, seven yellow cards and several heated exchanges between players.
Delap strikes twice from the spot
Johor took an early lead after exposing weaknesses in Chelsea’s three-man defence, which struggled to deal with the hosts’ attacking pressure.
Chelsea responded shortly before half-time when Liam Delap converted from the penalty spot to level the contest. then had an opportunity to put the Blues ahead before the interval but failed to capitalise.
Delap made amends after the restart, once again finding the net from the spot to give Chelsea a 2-1 advantage.
The hosts refused to surrender, however, scoring twice in the closing stages to turn the game around and leave Chelsea facing defeat in their final pre-season outing.
The visitors eventually found an equaliser when Mykhailo Mudryk delivered a dangerous cross that was turned into his own net by Johor defender Antonio Glauder.
Tempers flare as shootout is abandoned
The game became increasingly physical as the night progressed, with seven yellow cards handed out during a fiery encounter.
Johor players were repeatedly penalised for late challenges and tackles away from the ball, while Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo was visibly frustrated by some of the hosts’ approach.
The tense atmosphere ultimately spilled over after the final whistle, with the scheduled penalty shootout surprisingly called off.
The reason for the cancellation was not immediately clear, although reports suggested the increasingly heated nature of the contest played a role.
Chelsea’s head of first-team operations Kevin Campello was reportedly heard saying, “it’s written in the contract,” amid confusion over whether the shootout would take place.
Johor’s players subsequently left the pitch while Chelsea’s squad remained on the field awaiting clarification.
The draw brings Chelsea’s pre-season preparations to an unusual conclusion, with manager Xabi Alonso now turning his attention to the competitive campaign and the work required to tighten up his defence before the season begins.