Chelsea kicked off their pre-season campaign in style with a 5-0 victory over Wrexham at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Blues were in control from the start and took the lead in the third minute through Ian Maatsen.
The Dutch left-back cut inside from the wing and fired a low shot past Wrexham goalkeeper Rob Lainton. Chelsea doubled their lead in the 33rd minute when Connor Gallagher scored a brilliant goal. The midfielder picked up the ball in midfield and drove forward before unleashing a powerful shot from outside the box that flew into the top corner.
Wrexham had a few chances to get back into the game, but they were unable to find the target. Chelsea then put the game to bed in the second half with goals from Christopher Nkunku, Ben Chilwell, and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
The win was a good confidence boost for Chelsea ahead of the new season. The Blues will be looking to build on this performance and challenge for the Premier League title. Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel was pleased with his team's performance. "We were very good," he said. "We created a lot of chances and took them well. We were also solid defensively. It was a good night for us."
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson was disappointed with the result, but he was proud of his team's effort. "We gave it our all," he said. "Chelsea are a good team, but we didn't make it easy for them. We can take a lot of positives from this game."
The match was a good test for both teams. Chelsea will be looking to build on this performance and challenge for the Premier League title. Wrexham will be looking to improve their squad and challenge for promotion to League One.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the match:
1. Chelsea were in control for most of the match. They dominated possession and created a number of chances.
2. Ian Maatsen and Connor Gallagher were impressive in midfield. They both scored goals and provided several assists.
3. Christopher Nkunku was also impressive. He scored his first goal for Chelsea and showed his creativity and dribbling skills.
4. Wrexham were competitive for the first half, but they faded in the second half, but they were unable to create many chances and were punished by Chelsea's clinical finishing.
5. The match was played in front of a crowd of 17,000 at Kenan Stadium. The atmosphere was electric, with both sets of fans creating a great atmosphere.
