Morgan Rogers made an impressive entrance during his debut for Chelsea, scoring in a 3-1 friendly victory against Real Sociedad in Xabi Alonso’s first match at the helm at Stamford Bridge.
The club’s record signing opened the scoring just nine minutes into the game, followed by João Pedro who netted two more goals, bringing his remarkable preseason total to seven.
Rogers quickly made his mark, capitalizing on a rebound from Pedro’s shot that had been saved, slotting it home from close range.
However, after that early goal, Chelsea struggled to create significant chances, allowing the Spanish side to equalize with a stunning volley from outside the box by Jon Aramburu, just before half-time.
The second half saw Chelsea take control, as Pedro headed in a well-placed cross from Reece James at the far post.
Enzo Fernández was brought on the pitch after an hour, receiving a mixed reaction from the crowd as James passed him the captain’s armband amidst ongoing speculation regarding the Argentine’s future at the club.
As Chelsea increased their attacking momentum, Cole Palmer set up Pedro by the goal line, whose powerful shot was expertly saved, keeping the pressure on Real Sociedad.
Substitute Malo Gusto delivered a fantastic long ball that found Chelsea’s No. 9, who timed his run impeccably, racing through on goal to finish with precision and round off a strong end to their preseason.