**Chelsea beat Western Sydney Wanderers 6-4 as Joao Pedro’s late hat-trick gave Xabi Alonso victory in his first public match as Blues manager.**
Alonso selected a youthful starting side featuring Teddy Sharman-Lowe, Josh Acheampong, Reggie Walsh, Dastan Satpaev and Ryan Kavuma-McQueen. Tosin Adarabioyo captained the team, while Liam Delap led the attack.
Satpaev gave Chelsea the perfect start after six minutes. Kavuma-McQueen split the defence with a precise through-ball before the 17-year-old produced an emphatic finish.
Chelsea’s defensive problems quickly changed the contest. Anthony Pantazopoulos headed Western Sydney level before Aydan Hammond beat Acheampong and finished beyond Sharman-Lowe.
Tosin then lost possession in a dangerous area, although the Wanderers failed to punish that mistake. Dario Essugo eventually restored parity with a composed finish before half-time.
Western Sydney regained the lead after the restart when Landon Emenalo’s attempted clearance deflected into Dylan Scicluna’s path. The midfielder accepted the opportunity and beat Sharman-Lowe.
Alonso responded by introducing several established players. Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, Levi Colwill, Jamie Gittens and debutant Marco Palestra were among those sent on.
The substitutions immediately raised Chelsea’s attacking level. Joao Pedro crossed for Gittens, who finished to score his third goal in three pre-season appearances.
Gittens had already [confirmed his intention to remain at Chelsea and compete under Alonso](https://readchelsea.com/2026/07/27/jamie-gittens-confirms-chelsea-future-after-xabi-alonso-talks/). His sharp performance in Sydney strengthened that claim after an injury-disrupted first season.
However, another Chelsea mistake allowed the hosts to move 4-3 ahead. Estevao misplaced a pass and Awan Lual raced through before finishing underneath Robert Sanchez.
Joao Pedro equalised almost immediately. Palmer restarted play quickly before Gittens helped create the opening for the Brazilian to finish inside the penalty area.
The same combination then completed the comeback. Palmer released Joao Pedro with a through-ball and the striker calmly placed his shot beyond the goalkeeper in the 85th minute.
Joao Pedro completed his hat-trick four minutes later, forcing the ball home during a crowded goalmouth scramble. His three late goals transformed a possible defeat into an entertaining victory.
Chelsea produced several excellent attacking combinations despite the poor Accor Stadium surface. Satpaev impressed on the left, Essugo carried the ball forward effectively and Gittens changed the tempo after his introduction.
Joao Pedro provided the decisive quality. The forward added an assist to his hat-trick and immediately looked sharper than many players who started the match.
Alonso will have greater concerns about Chelsea’s defending. The Blues conceded four times against an A-League side and repeatedly lost possession in areas which left the back line exposed.
The young starting team must provide some context. [ReadChelsea’s match preview](https://readchelsea.com/2026/07/26/chelsea-predicted-xi-vs-western-sydney-wanderers-as-alonso-prepares-five-debuts/) outlined how several senior players remain unavailable after the World Cup, while Geovany Quenda and Emmanuel Emegha are injured.
Chelsea still showed resilience after falling behind three times. Alonso’s senior substitutes increased the intensity and delivered the attacking quality required to avoid an embarrassing opening result.
The next test comes against Tottenham Hotspur at Accor Stadium on Saturday. Alonso will demand greater control without sacrificing the attacking freedom which produced six goals against Western Sydney.
**Chelsea starting XI:** Sharman-Lowe; Acheampong, Tosin, Subuloye, Emenalo; Walsh, Watson, Essugo; Satpaev, Delap, Kavuma-McQueen.
**Chelsea scorers:** Satpaev, Essugo, Gittens, Joao Pedro x3.