Fabio Carvalho scored a dramatic 94th-minute equalizer as Brentford secured a 2-2 draw against Chelsea at the Gtech Community Stadium. The result allows Chelsea to maintain their unbeaten start to the season, though they will be disappointed to have surrendered two points so late in the game.
The match, the first for both teams after the international break, saw Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca make some notable changes to his starting XI. Despite their recent international duties in South America, Enzo Fernandez and Moisés Caicedo both started, while key players like Cole Palmer and Reece James were on the bench. Chelsea missed Palmer’s creative influence in a sluggish first half, which saw few chances for either side.
It was Brentford who broke the deadlock in the 35th minute. Kevin Schade received a perfectly weighted pass from Jordan Henderson, cut inside, and scored with a shot that took a slight deflection on its way to the bottom corner.
Chelsea’s second-half performance was a significant improvement, fueled by the introduction of substitutes. The arrival of Reece James and Marc Cucurella provided more control, but it was Cole Palmer’s entry that provided the cutting edge. Just minutes after coming on, Palmer showed his class by calmly stroking the ball into the corner to level the score.
With the game heading into its final moments, it appeared Chelsea had secured the winner. Alejandro Garnacho, making his debut for the Blues, drove to the byline and cut a ball back into the box. The half-cleared pass fell to Moisés Caicedo, who took his time before hammering a powerful shot into the back of the net in the 85th minute.
However, Brentford had other ideas. Deep into injury time, a long throw-in from Schade caused chaos in the Chelsea box, and Fabio Carvalho was on hand to tap home at the back post, securing a crucial point for the home side.
The draw means Chelsea misses the chance to temporarily move to the top of the league table. They will now shift their focus to their UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
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