Mudryk on target as Chelsea beat ten-man Brighton 4-3 / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Mudryk on target as Chelsea beat ten-man Brighton 4-3
Mykhailo Mudryk finally found the net for Chelsea and new signings Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson also scored in a 4-3 friendly win over Brighton in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Brighton took the lead in 13th minute when a short corner routine ended with Kaoru Mitoma heading the ball across the box and Danny Welbeck firing home with a first-time drive.
French forward Nkunku, a recent acquisition from RB Leipzig for a reported £63 million ($80 million) brought the London club level in the 19th minute for his second goal of pre-season.
Brighton were reduced to ten men in the 59th minute when Dutch full-back Jan Paul van Hecke received a second yellow card after a reckless challenge on Cesare Casadei.
Five minutes later Chelsea went ahead when Ukrainian Mudryk burst in from the left and after a smart exchange with Jackson, unleashed a drive into the bottom corner from outside the box.
It was the first Chelsea goal for Mudryk who joined the club in a huge deal, reportedly costing up to 100 million euros (£88 million, $108 million) in January.
Senegal international Jackson then set up Conor Gallagher to make it 3-1 and got on the scoresheet himself with the fourth for Mauricio Pochettino's team.
A 79th minute penalty from Joao Pedro gave Brighton some hope but although substitute Deniz Undav added a late third for Albion, Chelsea secured the win.
Chelsea’s next opponent in the Premier League Summer Series will be Newcastle United in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Z.Zimmermann--BP
