08/24/26 04:55:00
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08/24 16:53 CDT Rogers scores on debut as Chelsea beats Fulham to win Premier
League opener
Rogers scores on debut as Chelsea beats Fulham to win Premier League opener
LONDON (AP) --- Chelsea record signing Morgan Rogers scored on his debut while
beating Fulham 3-2 to give new coach Xabi Alonso a perfect start to the Premier
League season on Monday.
Rogers signed from Aston Villa last month and scored four minutes before
halftime when he slotted home a sweet cutback from Maxence Lacroix.
Brazilian Joao Pedro gave Chelsea the lead after 32 seconds, only for Josh King
to equalize midway through the first half.
Cole Palmer, one of Chelsea's outstanding performers on the night, made it 3-1
with 49 minutes gone when he fired home from a tight angle after running on to
Joao Pedro's pass.
Fulham cut the deficit almost immediately --- Gonzalo Garca heading down and
into the net after Sanchez could only parry Timothy Castagne's low shot --- and
it poured forward in search of a winner but it was not to be.
Instead, Chelsea's front three took the plaudits with a dazzling performance
that coach Alonso called "a good first day."
"It is a great combination and great quality," he said. "We know that if we
reach them in a good position then they have this talent to create special
things. Today I am happy that all three scored."
The fixture matched Alonso against his former Real Madrid and Spain teammate
Alvaro Arbeloa, who was also making his first appearance in the Fulham dugout.
"We deserved a little bit more but football is not about what you deserve, it's
about what you take," a disappointed Arbeloa said, although he added he was
pleased with his players' attitude. "This is how we're going to play no matter
who is in front of us."
Both men managed Real Madrid for periods last season but moved to England after
being relieved of their duties at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and Alonso won out
in an entertaining game at Craven Cottage.
Chelsea has spent more than 300 million pounds ($408 million) on new players
and is one of the early favorites to challenge champion Arsenal.
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