Chelsea follow Arsenal and Liverpool into Far East

New Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas and his squad travelled to Asia to begin their pre-season tour, starting the campaign in Malaysia, a destination already visited by Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.  The trip is the west London club’s first visit to the Far East in three years.

The Chelsea squad lacked any new faces, but still possessed enough quality to attract a big crowd to Kuala Lumpur, with the official attendance of 84,980 believed to be a record number for a Chelsea friendly match.

The hosts had been on the end of heavy defeats to both Arsenal and Liverpool, conceding 10 goals in the process, and were determined to give a better account of themselves this time around. Chelsea played an entirely different team in each half, and had most of the clear cut scoring chances throughout.

Malaysia were forced into some last ditch defending to prevent Torres and Benayoun from scoring in the first half, with Torres in particular lighting up the contest with a wonderful piece of skill to slip the ball through the legs of the opposing defender. 

Jon Obi Mikel flashed a thunderous drive narrowly wide in the early stages of the second period, before the home team carved out their first real chance to score themselves. A neat passing move resulted in the ball falling to substitute Syahrul Azwari, but he spurned the opportunity by blazing the ball over the bar, although the angle did seem to favour Chelsea goalkeeper Ross Turnbull.

The opening goal did eventually come, and unsurprisingly it was for the Premier League side. Malaysia may have good cause to feel aggrieved, however, as there was more than a little uncertainty about whether the goal should have even stood. Didier Drogba fired in a venomous free kick, which cannoned off the post and fortuitously ricocheted back towards goal via the goalkeeper’s body. It appeared that the keeper managed to intercept the ball before it had crossed the line, but the linesman felt otherwise and signalled to the referee that it was actually a goal. Replays suggested that the Malaysian’s had every right to feel hard done by.

The contentious own-goal was all that separated the two sides at the final whistle, and although the scoreline was certainly an improvement for the home side following their previous encounters with English opposition this Summer, they will rightly feel it should have been even more favourable.

Chelsea’s next destination was Thailand, and a match against the Thai Premier League All Stars at the Rajamangala National Stadium. The scoreline proved to be far more flattering in this game, even if the hosts created a few chances of their own throughout the contest.

England international Frank Lampard fired Chelsea in front late in the first half with a fantastic low drive, but only after Chelsea keeper Hilario had been forced into three impressive saves at the other end.

Chelsea extended their lead in the second half, courtesy of Jose Bosingwa, but the Thai goalkeeper took most of the blame for the goal as he misjudged a cross from the Portugese full back and let the ball slip through his hands and into the net.

Branislav Ivanovic and Florent Malouda showed great composure to add goals number three and four, both finishing one-on-one chances with the goalkeeper following some good passing by Chelsea.

The game finished with a comfortable 4-0 scoreline in favour of The Blues. They will now move on to play in the Asia Trophy, which is to be held in Hong Kong this year and will be contested by local side Kitchee, as well as Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Aston Villa and Blackburn.


Laurie Dunsire