Goal (1)

Picture Credit: Twitter

After a turbulent 2021-22 season, Chelsea FC wanted to kick off the 2022-23 season with a win. But unfortunately, the Blues suffered a heartbreaking 5-3 penalties loss to MLS club Charlotte FC. The London-based club started off the pre-season friendly on the front foot with Christian Pulisic scoring on a deflection from Michy Batshuayi’s shot in the 30th minute.

The Blues continued their dominant style of play through the remainder of the game until the home team levelled with a late penalty because of a handball by Trevoh Chalobah. The game then entered penalties where young Chelsea midfielder, Conor Gallagher gave us a miss of the season candidate with a failed panenka penalty. 

With the score tilted 3-2 in the favour of Charlotte FC, Gallagher walked up to the spot and chipped the ball straight into the palms of the keeper Pablo Sisniega. After the penalty, the camera panned towards Charlotte's team who were seen uproariously laughing. Conor Gallagher’s miss cost the blues the game as they registered a loss.

After the game, Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel expressed disappointment towards his team’s efforts toward the end of the match. “In general, I would say we played a good first half but unfortunately only for 80 metres of the pitch,” he said. 

“The last 20 metres were not good enough, even in the first half. We found a lot of spaces to accelerate and to penetrate the box but we struggled with our decision-making and precision in the last 20 metres.”