Joao Pedro’s hat-trick leads Chelsea past Western Sydney Wanderers in 6-4 thriller

Chelsea survived a chaotic contest at Accor Stadium, with Joao Pedro scoring three late goals to seal a 6-4 win after Western Sydney Wanderers repeatedly fought back.

Chelsea edged Western Sydney Wanderers 6-4 at Accor Stadium in a wildly open match that swung between the sides. D. Satpaev put Chelsea ahead in the sixth minute, but goals from A. Pantazopoulos and A. Hammond turned the game around. D. Essugo made it 2-2 before the break.

D. Scicluna restored the Wanderers’ lead in the 62nd minute, only for J. Gittens to answer four minutes later. A. Lual struck in the 78th minute to make it 4-3, but Joao Pedro took control of the closing stages: he scored in the 80th, 85th and 89th minutes, with C. Palmer assisting the second of those goals.

The decisive moment was Joao Pedro’s quick response after Lual had put the Wanderers back in front. His three-goal burst turned a tense, high-scoring contest into a Chelsea victory. The win showed Chelsea’s attacking threat, while conceding four goals will leave plenty to examine despite the result.