(Football news) Erling Haaland, Thiago Silva, Raheem Sterling, and Manuel Akanji all contributed to a frantic first 45 minutes in West London that made the match’s main event live up to the expectations.
A tap-in from Nicolas Jackson cancelled out Haaland’s second goal of the game, and Rodri looked to have given the champions a late lead, but Palmer, an ex-member of the Manchester City academy, struck the top corner with an incredible penalty in the 95th minute to give Mauricio Pochettino’s team a share of the victory.
From the opening whistle, Palmer and Sterling were back with their previous employers for Chelsea, who also made a change at left-back when Marc Cucurella took over for Levi Colwill.
Unfortunately for Cucurella, Haaland and he both struck the deck after a tangle in the box, and the Spaniard was the victim of another controversial VAR call in the twenty-first minute.
Three minutes after the first spot kick was awarded, Cucurella grabbed hold of Haaland’s shirt, which referee Anthony Taylor ruled worthy of a penalty. Haaland then coolly sent Robert Sanchez the wrong way to break the tie. Both men were equally involved in the physical struggle.
Chelsea’s impressive start was negated by Haaland’s goal, but Pochettino’s team did not give up as Reece James forced Ederson into an incredible save from a free kick in the 28th minute as the Blues pressed for an immediate comeback.
In the 29th minute, Thiago Silva made a rapid sprint to the front post to meet Conor Gallagher’s delivery, and the 39-year-old’s glancing header sailed across goal and into the side of the net, providing the hosts with the much-needed answer.
Only eight minutes after Silva’s equalizer, a former Chelsea target’s awful howler put the ball on a plate for a former Citizen to prod the Blues ahead. Haaland and Phil Foden both went close to regaining the visitors’ advantage, but to no effect.
Josko Gvardiol appeared to cut out Palmer’s pass to James, but the Croatian sent the ball backwards into the right-back’s path by mistake, and James only needed to square the ball to Sterling for a tap-in.
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