Chelsea Thrash Club America 3-0 in Pre-Season, Enzo Maresca's First Win

Chelsea's First Win Under Maresca

Chelsea picked up their first win of the Enzo Maresca era with a 3-0 victory over Club America in Atlanta. It was a far more convincing performance from the Blues after a draw with Wrexham and a heavy defeat to Celtic.

Two goals came before half-time, as Christopher Nkunku converted a penalty after a couple of minutes and Marc Guiu got off the mark in a Chelsea shirt with a flicked header, before Noni Madueke’s spot-kick with ten minutes remaining put the match to bed.

Early Dominance and Two Quick Goals

The early penalty from Nkunku came after a driving run from Lavia, who was fortunate to be awarded the decision for what looked like a dive. The Blues got to the byline time and time again, with only poor finishing preventing a first-half rout. There was at least a second goal before the break, as Dewsbury-Hall clipped a cross to the near post, and Guiu got across the goalkeeper to head home.

Enzo Fernandez and Filip Jorgensen Enter

Fernandez and Jorgensen were introduced at half-time, but the second half lacked the same intensity. Armando Broja missed a massive chance to make it three, failing to hit the target when clean through on goal. Chelsea didn't have to wait long, though, as Nkunku showed wonderful footwork to dance into the box and around the goalkeeper, drawing contact on his way to win Chelsea's second penalty of the night.

Post-Match Analysis

After the match, Maresca praised his team's performance, saying, "It was a good win. We played well, created chances, and defended well. We're still working on some things, but I'm pleased with the progress we're making."

Chelsea now have two more games on their US tour, against Manchester City and Real Madrid, before returning home for a friendly with Inter Milan. They start their Premier League campaign against Manchester City on August 12.

Key Quotes

"It was a good win. We played well, created chances, and defended well. We're still working on some things, but I'm pleased with the progress we're making." - Enzo Maresca, Chelsea Manager

"Overall, we're happy with the tour. We've played some good teams, and we've learned a lot. We're looking forward to the start of the season." - Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea Captain