Chelsea’s stuttering start to the season continued as they suffered a 2-1 loss at Southampton on Tuesday despite being given an early lead by Raheem Sterling. Sterling scored his third goal in two games in the 23rd minute but Chelsea’s lead fell short.
Romeo Lavia equalized five minutes later with a fine finish from outside the field. Adam Armstrong then turned the match on its head in stoppage time of the first half – a slick passing move by the hosts to finish the round off.
Chelsea, having beaten Leeds United in their last away game, were unable to make much of an impact from a relentless Saints side in the second half despite plenty of possession. Southampton’s win brought them to seven points from five games, which was equal to Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea.
“We knew it would be a tough night tonight. Chelsea are a tough opponent but the boys ditched deep,” Armstrong said. “We won’t forget nights like this. On Saturday (against Manchester United) it was disappointing, We had a few chances. That’s football. We dug deep tonight.”
strike
an excitement @romiolavia‘s #pl Account: Open pic.twitter.com/wWXEq5RwfY— Southampton FC (@southamptonFC) 30 August 2022
Chelsea got off to a really good start And took the lead when Kai Havertz played in Mason Mount, who crossed low for Sterling, whose initial effort was blocked. But the former Manchester City forward collected the loose ball with his back to score and cleverly worked a few places before slipping the ball past Saints keeper Gavin Bazunu.
Undeterred, Southampton quickly got on the front foot and when Lavia was cleared of a ball, she took a touch before hitting a shot in front of douard Mendy. Southampton went ahead with a silky move that paired James Ward-Prause with Romain Perrad, who played a pass towards Armstrong that dropped into space.
His powerful shot touches Kalidou Koulibaly before flying high past Mendy. Southampton’s intensity after the break limited Chelsea’s chances and there was loud celebration on the final whistle.
The defeat left Tuchel with a lot to think about, with Chelsea already slipping through the pace. “We started well in almost all the games but obviously we are struggling with our focus and consistency in the matches,” the German said. “If things don’t go in our direction, we struggle to find answers and find a way back.”
(with Reuters inputs)