Exciting Win at Craven Cottage: Cole Palmer Shines with Joao Pedro and Morgan Rogers as Chelsea Triumphs Over Fulham 3-2

With Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, and the new signing Morgan Rogers, Alonso may have crafted the finest attacking trio in the Premier League.

All three found the back of the net, with Pedro scoring just 31 seconds into the match, providing the new manager with a perfect start.

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Yet Sanchez was at fault for Josh King’s equalizer and the Gonzalo Garcia goal that edged Fulham ahead after Rogers and Palmer had found the net around halftime.

Just like the previous season under two permanent coaches and one interim, Chelsea seemed incapable of managing the game.

However, unlike many matches from the tumultuous 2025-26 campaign, the Blues managed to secure the win.

Chelsea arrived carrying painful recollections from their last trip to Craven Cottage.

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Just days after Enzo Maresca’s departure in January, the team saw Marc Cucurella sent off in a 2-1 defeat.

As rain poured down, Blues supporters directed explicit chants at club chief Behdad Eghbali, who was seated next to new head coach Liam Rosenior.

Those were foreboding signs for a pleasant summer evening.

When it was revealed that Moises Caicedo was injured, it set the stage for a tough night.

Yet, just 30 seconds in, Chelsea’s new chapter kicked off with the best possible start.

Maxence Lacroix’s clearing header found Palmer, who made a quick pass to Pedro.

The Brazilian’s exquisite lob over Bernd Leno demonstrated his confidence.

The home crowd was understandably taken aback while the away supporters erupted in celebration.

However, instead of calming their nerves, the team became unsettled.

The usually dependable Levi Colwill mishandled a straightforward pass, allowing Oscar Bobb to break through. Consequently, Colwill received a booking for halting his progress.

Romeo Lavia quickly joined Colwill in the referee’s book following a tough challenge on Calvin Bassey.

Sanchez also displayed signs of his impending troubles.

At first, the Chelsea keeper allowed a backpass to result in a corner, and then made a shaky save from a King attempt.

Although Palmer, Rogers, and Pedro continued to pose a threat and were just one solid pass away from increasing Chelsea’s lead, the equalizer felt unavoidable.

Rogers’s failure to track his marker enabled King to execute a straightforward one-two with Timothy Castagne.

With questionable positioning, Sanchez’s feeble attempt to stop the ball from slipping in at his near post was even worse.

Chelsea was rattled.

Josh Acheampong, stepping in for the suspended Wesley Fofana, made two key challenges to prevent the home side from taking the lead.

Gradually, the visitors regained their composure, and Pedro volleyed just wide from a Palmer cross.

Leno saved comfortably from Reece James, struggling slightly with a shot from Lavia, before Rogers restored the lead.

Palmer delivered a clever assist to Lacroix, who elegantly dropped his shoulder to bypass Jorge Cuenca, then pulled the ball back to the center where Rogers finished effortlessly.

After the break, Palmer upped the ante.

Pedro moved forward from his own half, awaiting Palmer to join him.

The Chelsea No10 slotted the ball through Leno’s legs from a tight angle.

It could have quickly become 4-1, but Antonee Robinson thwarted Rogers from capitalizing on Jorrel Hato’s impressive run and cross.

Instead, it soon became 2-3.

Colwill misjudged a cross, and Sanchez could only parry Castagne’s shot directly onto Garcia’s head, who was unaware of his debut goal but didn’t mind.

Every exciting story has its antagonist.

Enter Enzo Fernandez.

Fernandez and fellow Argentine Valentin Barco faced heavy jeers earlier in the match, but Fernandez’s substitution for Lavia with 25 minutes remaining escalated the vocal discontent.

Some traveling fans chanted his name, knowing he might prefer a move to Manchester City before the window closes.

After a lull, Fulham mounted another attack, with King shooting just wide of Sanchez’s right post.

Bassey received a booking for diving in the box, and Robinson broke clear of James, only to blaze his shot over Sanchez and wide.

Sanchez denied a shot from substitute Ryan Sessegnon, and Pedro had a late goal ruled out for offside.

Nonetheless, the Blues have made a winning start, indicating an exciting season ahead.

Chelsea player ratings: Joao Pedro lifts No9 curse as Sanchez highlights the need for a new goalkeeper after Fulham win

Chelsea may indeed be feeling a bit chilly after all.

Joao Pedro kicked off Chelsea’s season just 31 seconds in with a delightful chip over Bernd Leno, following an assist from Cole Palmer in a thrilling 3-2 win at Craven Cottage.

However, once in the lead, Chelsea exhibited familiar signs of distress seen under Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior, and Calum McFarlane – a lack of discipline and multiple careless mistakes.

Josh King leveled the score with a powerful strike in the 23rd minute, although Robert Sanchez should have responded more effectively.

Desperate for a goal before halftime, Morgan Rogers was brought on.

Maxence Lacroix advanced high up the pitch, weaving into the box and providing the ball across for Rogers to convert.

With both Pedro and Rogers finding the net, it was Palmer’s turn to finish the scoring.

Pedro skillfully controlled the ball and held it up before laying it off to his teammate, who slotted through Leno’s legs, giving the Blues some breathing space, despite yet another Fulham goal from Gonzalo Garcia.

Discover how SunSport Chelsea reporter Lloyd Canfield rated the players here…