Chelsea FC turned Saturday evening’s game at Brentford FC around thanks to substitute Palmer – but still had to settle for a point ahead of the Champions League opener. This was mainly down to Kevin Schade.
A German international who had recently been overlooked by national coach Julian Nagelsmann became Chelsea’s nemesis on Saturday evening. Kevin Schade, who scored eleven times in the Premier League last season but played his fourth and last international match to date last October, first put Brentford ahead and then set up the 2-2 final score in an unconventional manner. In doing so, he also overshadowed Palmer, who made his comeback just in time for Chelsea’s Champions League opener at Bayern Munich on Wednesday (9 p.m.).
Before the break, Schade, who has had to do without his attacking partners Mbeumo (20 goals, now ManUnited) and Wissa (18, Newcastle) this season and missed a penalty in the 2-1 defeat at Sunderland before the international break, scored his first goal of the season and gave Brentford a well-deserved lead. Henderson had sent him on his way with a wonderful high pass, and Adarabioyo slightly deflected the finish (35′).
Palmer immediately makes an impact as a substitute
Chelsea, on the other hand, did alarmingly little with their greater possession. Initially without Palmer, who had only returned to training on Thursday after his groin injury and was therefore on the bench at the start, they lacked clear attacking moves. Debutant Buonanotte also failed to make an impact. The only excitement in front of Brentford’s goal came shortly before half-time when Fernandez hit the outside post with a corner.
After the break, however, the Blues showed a different side, which had to do with a triple substitution at half-time, but above all with the top substitute that coach Enzo Maresca brought on ten minutes later: Palmer celebrated his comeback after a month’s enforced break and made an immediate impact. After Fernandez’s cross from the halfway line and Joao Pedro’s winning header, the ball fell perfectly at his feet in the penalty area – 1-1 (61′).
The visitors kept pushing, were much closer to making it 2-1 than Brentford, and finally struck. After Palmer carelessly missed the chance to complete his brace on a quick counterattack (75′), Caicedo finally beat Kelleher: after a cross from substitute Garnacho was cleared too short, Chelsea’s number six took aim from just outside the box and fired home (85′). Schade had not disturbed the goalscorer either.p>
Schade’s throw-ins annoy Chelsea late on
However, the former Freiburg player personally fought against defeat – with throw-ins. In the 88th minute, he hurled a dangerous bounce towards the goal, forcing keeper Sanchez to clear for a corner with difficulty. In stoppage time, 1.96-meter substitute Ajer then extended another throw-in to former Leipzig player Fabio Carvalho in the five-meter box, who scored to make it 2-2 (90+3).
Brentford thus avoided a third defeat in four games, while Chelsea remain unbeaten but squandered what looked like a certain away win.
