Blues Held by Johor in Thrilling Pre-Season Friendly

In a pre-season friendly that had all the makings of a competitive match, Chelsea found themselves locked in a 3-3 stalemate with Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Sunday. The hosts took an early lead through Arif Aiman, who capitalized on a swift counter-attack in the 14th minute to give Johor the advantage. However, Chelsea managed to level the score just before the half-time whistle, courtesy of a Liam Delap penalty kick, which the England striker dispatched with precision into the bottom corner. Delap was on target again in the 62nd minute, scoring from the spot after Jamie Gittens was fouled in the box, to put Chelsea ahead. But Johor were not ready to concede, and they equalized three minutes later through an Oscar Arribas free-kick that took a deflection off Delap, leaving goalkeeper Gaga Slonina with no chance. The Malaysian side then took the lead in the 86th minute, thanks to a stunning 20-yard effort from Brazilian forward Bergson. Yet, Chelsea were not done, and they secured a draw three minutes later when Mykhailo Mudryk's cross was inadvertently turned into the net by Cristian Glauder. The match was marked by a high level of intensity, with seven yellow cards issued during the encounter. Initially, a penalty shootout was planned, but it was called off after the match, with the reason for the cancellation not immediately disclosed. Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso opted for a completely new starting lineup, following the Blues' match against AC Milan just 24 hours prior. The team is set to return to England for their final pre-season fixture against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge on August 15.