MASON MOUNT scored a goal in Las Vegas to spare friend Reece James’ blush after his comedic own goal.
In the Blues’ opening game of the preseason against Mexican Club America, a bad first half was followed just after the break by an attack by Timo Werner.
4
4
4
However, defender James – fresh off the bench – turned red on the hour when his exaggerated passback caught Marcus Bettinelli on his own line.
Mount—another rest—picked up the pieces and curled an effort into the bottom corner with seven minutes to go.
Boss Thomas Tuchel picked a relatively strong lineup, but may have angered some of the traveling fans with two notable absences.
Summer signings Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly – for a total of £85 million – were not named in the roster.
Sterling had arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening – their first pit stop in the United States – after completing a medical in London following the 27-year-old’s move. Manchester City.
Koulibaly, 31, also flew after medical treatment, this time to Las Vegas, on Friday night – but neither was deemed ready enough to be taken to the couch.
Normal starter in goal Edouard Mendy also sat out this one, as did Billy Gilmour, while the injured Armando Broja was not in danger.
Kepa started in the goal, Conor Gallagher was paired up with Ross Barkley in midfield with Kai Havertz in the lead.
Ben Chilwell made his first appearance in a Chelsea shirt for eight months after a knee injury sustained in November last year.
Marcos Alonso, Cesar Azpilicueta, Reece James, Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic, Michy Batshuayi and Werner were on the bench.
Club America entered this league after already starting their national league campaign and winning one of their first three games.
Hakim Ziyech was awarded an early free kick that was well saved by veteran Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, but that was a rare moment in a half without quality.
Brazilian winger Kenedy, who made one Eredivisie performing in his last five years as a Blues player was especially bad in a makeshift fullback.
Yet he came alive in the 23rd minute with a whipped effort that grazed the post before Club America came close with a similar effort.
Gallagher’s interception then saw him play into Havertz, then the German fluttered his shot over the crossbar, and a header from Thiago Silva was tipped off by Ochoa.
4
Tuchel made the full 11 changes for the second half, including the introduction of Jorginho and Emerson, despite not being on the reserve bench originally.
With Emerson playing as an unorthodox centre-back, Jorginho and Pulisic made an immediate impact with shots on target each in the first few minutes.
In the 55th minute Jorginho then found James wide, whose cross was bundled by Werner on the second attempt.
But five minutes later, James went from hero to zero when his passback dribbled across the line without pressure.
Chelsea pushed for a winner in vain, with Pulisic coming the closest via a quirky header.
Next for Tuchel’s men is a clash against Charlotte FC on Wednesday before facing Arsenal Saturday in Orlando.
TEAM (3-4-3) Kepa; Chalobah, Silva, Sarr; Hudson-Odoi, Barkley, Gallagher, Chilwell; Ziyech, Havertz, Kenedy
SUBS: Bettinelli, Alonso, Ampadu, Azpilicueta, James, Mount, Pulisic, Batshuayi, Werner, Jorginho, Emerson
MISSING: Mendy, Koulibaly, Sterling, Gilmour, Broja