Full Breakdown
Chelsea’s Asian Pre-Season Surge: 3-0 Super Cup Victory Over AC Milan and a 3-3 Draw With Johor Darul Ta’zim
8/9/2026, 8:57:47 PM
Indonesia Super Cup – Chelsea 3 – 0 AC Milan (August 8, 2026)
Chelsea opened their Asian tour at Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Kno Stadium and lifted the 2026 Indonesia Super Cup. The Blues dominated possession and broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time when João Pedro headed in Moisés Caicedo’s corner. Pedro added a second goal six minutes later, converting a Pedro Neto cross at the far post. Caicedo completed the scoring four minutes after the restart with a volley from the edge of the box.
- Goal scorers: João Pedro (45+2’, 46’), Moisés Caicedo (50’)
- Attendance: 40,856 spectators
- Line-up: Robert Sanchez; Josh Acheampong, Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato, Marco Palestra; Romeo Lavia, Moisés Caicedo (c), Cole Palmer, João Pedro, Pedro Neto, Danny Welbeck.
Chelsea shifted between a 3-4-3 and a hybrid 4-2-3-1, with Lavia and Caicedo rotating into defensive roles. Set-piece coach Austin McPhee’s influence was evident, as two of the three goals originated from corners.
Official Statements & Responses
- Ruben Amorim, AC Milan manager: “We knew that we’d suffer a bit today, but we wanted to challenge the players.”
Pre-Season Context
Chelsea entered the Jakarta fixture after defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus in Hong Kong and Sydney. The win offered a morale boost and marked the first appearance of the Blues in Jakarta since 2013. Both clubs are under new managers—Alonso at Chelsea and Amorim at Milan—seeking to rebuild after disappointing 2025/26 campaigns.
Data & Statistics
- Shots on target: Chelsea 8, Milan 0
- Corners: Multiple, converting two into goals.
Follow-Up Match – 3-3 Draw With Johor Darul Ta’zim (August 9, 2026)
A day later the Blues faced Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium. Chelsea rotated heavily, fielding a largely new XI that included goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe, defenders Olutayo Subuloye, Tosin Adarabioyo and Aaron Anselmino, and forwards Nicolas Jackson, Estevao Willian and Liam Delap.
- Scoring sequence:
- 14’ – Arif Aiman (JDT) opened the scoring.
- 40’ – Liam Delap (Chelsea) penalty.
- 62’ – Delap second penalty.
- 65’ – Óscar Arribas (JDT) equaliser.
- 86’ – Bergson (JDT) ahead.
- 89’ – Cristian Glauder (Chelsea) own-goal equaliser.
- Result: 3-3 draw, ending the Asian tour.
Impact & What It Means
The Super Cup win highlighted Chelsea’s attacking depth and set-piece proficiency, while the draw with JDT underscored the need for defensive cohesion when rotating players. Alonso’s emphasis on tactical flexibility was tested by fielding two distinct line-ups on consecutive days, giving fringe players a platform to stake claims for the upcoming Premier League campaign.
What’s Next
Chelsea will return to England before concluding the pre-season with a friendly against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge. Their Premier League opener is scheduled for a later date against Fulham.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We knew that we’d suffer a bit today, but we wanted to challenge the players.” — Ruben Amorim (AC Milan manager)
