Lesley Ugochukwu’s last-minute equaliser earned Chelsea a 1-1 draw with Inter Milan in their final pre-season friendly on Sunday.
The Blues had endured a disappointing first tour under new head coach Enzo Maresca, and the summer looked set to end with defeat to the Italian champions at Stamford Bridge.
But Marcus Thuram’s thunderous first-half strike was cancelled out by Ugochukwu in the dying embers of the match, earning the Blues a draw they fully merited.
A lung-busting run out from defence by centre-back Yann Bisseck made Inter’s 26th-minute goal possible. As he approached the box, he tapped wide to Joaquin Correa, who quickly slipped Thuram through.
The Frenchman did the rest, slamming into the top corner with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez well beaten.
Chelsea began to assert some control after going behind, with Noni Madueke and Malo Gusto particularly lively, combining well down the right-hand side.
Other than two volleyed efforts by Chelsea’s excellent teenage striker Marc Guiu — both of which were tipped clear by Yann Sommer — the Blues were unable to fashion clear-cut chances and were behind at the break, when new £54million signing from Wolves, Pedro Neto, was unveiled to the home fans.
The defensive diligence of Bisseck and left wing-back Federico Dimarco helped Inter keep Chelsea at bay in the second half, but the performance by Maresca’s side was much improved and only misfiring finishing was denying them the chance to regain parity.
Chelsea improved once Christopher Nkunku and Cole Palmer came on, and Nkunku so nearly put them level when his acrobatic bicycle kick was parried by Sommer.
The Blues continued plugging away, though, and they got their reward when late substitute Ugochukwu volleyed through a crowd of bodies and into the net for an equaliser from Palmer’s free-kick.
It was almost the last kick of the game and gave Chelsea a draw they thoroughly deserved.
