Chelsea held to thrilling 3-3 stalemate by Johor in exhibition match

Chelsea's pre-season friendly against Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Sunday, a match that saw the lead change hands multiple times.

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The home team, Johor, initially took the lead in the 14th minute courtesy of Arif Aiman, who capitalized on a swift counter-attack to score from close range.

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Chelsea equalized just five minutes before the half-time break, with Liam Delap stepping up to convert a penalty, which he coolly slotted into the bottom corner.

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The England striker then put Chelsea ahead once more in the 62nd minute, scoring his second penalty of the match after Jamie Gittens was fouled in the box.

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Johor quickly responded, however, as Oscar Arribas' free-kick deflected off Delap and deceived goalkeeper Gaga Slonina, finding its way into the net just three minutes later.

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In the 86th minute, Brazilian forward Bergson restored Johor's lead, unleashing a 20-yard effort that found the corner of the net.

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But Chelsea were not done yet, as they secured a draw three minutes later when Mykhailo Mudryk's cross inadvertently struck Cristian Glauder and ended up in the net.

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The match was marked by a feisty tone, with a total of seven yellow cards being shown to players during the encounter.

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A planned penalty shootout was initially scheduled to take place after the match but was ultimately called off, although the reason for the cancellation was not immediately clear.

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Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso had opted to field a completely new starting XI for the match, given that the team had played AC Milan just 24 hours earlier, while Mamadou Sarr was also replaced before kick-off.

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Chelsea will now return to England to prepare for their final pre-season fixture, which is set to take place against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, August 15.