Jakarta: Chelsea secure 3-0 pre-season victory over AC Milan
Chelsea’s Dominant Performance in Jakarta
Chelsea secured a decisive 3-0 victory over AC Milan in Jakarta, Indonesia, claiming the 2026 Indonesia Super Cup. The match, part of Chelsea’s pre-season tour, saw the Blues maintain control from the outset, with Joao Pedro scoring twice and Moises Caicedo adding a third goal.
The opening goal arrived in first-half stoppage time. Joao Pedro, a Brazil forward, headed home an in-swinging corner from six yards, delivered by Caicedo. This followed two earlier missed opportunities for Pedro in the half. The goal provided Chelsea with a crucial lead going into the break.
The second half began with immediate impact from Chelsea. Just moments after the restart, Joao Pedro doubled his tally and Chelsea’s lead. Pedro Neto curled a cross to the far post, which Pedro guided past Milan goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani. This quick succession of goals put Chelsea firmly in command of the match.
Four minutes later, Chelsea extended their lead further with a fine finish from captain Moises Caicedo. From a corner delivered by Romeo Lavia, the ball looped to Caicedo on the edge of the D, and he struck a volley into the far corner of the net with the outside of his right boot, making the score 3-0.
Match Details and Key Players
Under new manager Xabi Alonso, Chelsea displayed a much-improved performance following successive friendly defeats against Tottenham and Juventus. Alonso’s starting XI for the match included Robert Sanchez in goal; Josh Acheampong, Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato, and Marco Palestra in defence; captain Caicedo and Lavia in midfield; and Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto, and Danny Welbeck in attack.
The match was played in sweltering conditions, but both teams moved the ball sharply. Chelsea created the first significant opportunity when a long ball forward allowed Joao Pedro to break through, though his shot was smothered by Torriani. Portugal international Rafael Leao posed a consistent threat for Milan in the initial period, but was contained by Acheampong and Fofana.
Chelsea continued to press, with Neto nearly scoring from 20 yards, a shot that Torriani pushed away. Milan’s attempts on goal were largely unthreatening, with a shot from Luka Modric blocked and another from Strahinja Pavlovic going wide. As the first half concluded, Joao Pedro missed an earlier chance from a Palestra cutback before eventually scoring the opener from a Caicedo corner.
At halftime, AC Milan made several changes, while Alonso opted to keep his starting lineup, a decision that proved effective with the two quick goals after the restart. Chelsea continued to create chances, with Geovany Quenda and Nicolas Jackson, who came on as substitutes for Neto and Welbeck respectively, both hitting the woodwork. Palmer also had a shot saved by Torriani.
Further substitutions were made in the closing stages, with Aaron Anselmino replacing Jorrel Hato, and Reggie Watson, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Estevao coming on for Caicedo, Palmer, and Joao Pedro. Mamadou Sarr replaced Fofana in stoppage time. The match concluded with Chelsea lifting the Indonesia Super Cup in front of more than 40,000 supporters at the GBK Stadium.
Upcoming Fixtures
Chelsea will conclude their pre-season tour with a match against Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim on Sunday. This game will be played at 8pm local time, which is 1pm in the UK. Following this, the team will return to London for another friendly against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues are scheduled to begin their 2026-27 Premier League campaign against Fulham on 24 August.
Source: bbc.com
