Chemsdine Talbi struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Sunderland stunned Chelsea with a 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge.
The 20-year-old Morocco international strode unmarked into the box to sweep home after Brian Brobbey had held the ball up all on his own against two defenders, sparking delirious scenes amongst away supporters in the Shed End.
The game had been a fierce contest, but if Chelsea’s ambitions extend to pushing on from last season’s fourth-place finish then this is the kind of even fight they will need to learn how to edge.
Sunderland were much their equal for long periods, and there can have been few teams since Enzo Maresca took over that have come here and looked so comfortable on the ball, so ready and able to attack Chelsea.
They fell behind to Alejandro Garnacho before the game had had a chance to settle, a quick breakaway down the left that was finished off by the £40 million summer signing to score his first Blues goal.
Maresca had said he is not ready to jump aboard the long throw-in bandwagon, but Sunderland showed they had the hang of the top-flight’s latest attacking trend to equalise through top-scorer Wilson Isidor, finishing off after Nordi Mukiele’s launch had caused chaos inside the box.
Chelsea’s first-half game plan was simple if not necessarily effective – work the ball wide to draw Sunderland over then reverse the play to the far post, though their opponents were sufficiently streetwise not to allow gaps to appear easily.
It was from the only deviation from that blueprint that got Chelsea their goal. Pedro Neto stole possession in midfield and sent the ball up to Garnacho high on the left, who ran around Mukiele perhaps too easily before slipping his finish through the legs of Robin Roefs.
Garnacho was having his brightest 45 minutes so far in blue but on the other flank Neto was struggling to escape the attentions of the impassable Reinildo Mandava who largely nullified Chelsea’s right side.
Indeed their biggest threat appeared to be coming from Marc Cucurella, three times bursting forward from left-back and bamboozling Sunderland simply with his presence inside their box.
Maresca said this week he would send for former Stoke midfielder Rory Delap if ever he became a disciple of the long throw in, but Regis Le Bris had his own weapon in the shape of Mukiele. It was his muscular launch that found its way to Bertrand Traoré whose shot hit João Pedro and ricocheted to Isidor who knocked in the equaliser.
– Saturday matchday: Follow ESPN’s live blog for latest scores, action
– Maresca: ‘I didn’t like’ Guiu training performance
– Maresca: Estêvão destined to fight for Ballon d’Or
Granit Xhaka then sent Isidor away down the left for a strike that thumped into Robert Sanchez’s side netting, then Garnacho’s athletic effort as he slid in at the far post brought a save from Roefs, who also turned Trevoh Chalobah’s long-range rocket over.
Estevao Willian was sent on to try and give Chelsea some bite on the right side, but it was a more experience hand that carved out their next chance, Reece James beating Enzo Le Fée and crossing for Cucurella who had it taken off his head by a brilliant intervention from Roefs.
A draw would have been a fair result. Talbi’s late finish made it a remarkable one.
