Nkunku scores again as Chelsea beat Brighton in friendly

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Recent signing Christopher Nkunku scored his second goal in as many games for Chelsea as they beat Brighton 4-3 in a pre-season friendly in Philadelphia.

There were also goals for Nicolas Jackson, Mykhailo Mudryk and Conor Gallagher as Chelsea capitalised after the second-half sending-off of Brighton’s Paul van Hecke.

Nkunku levelled for the Blues after Danny Welbeck had opened the scoring.


Soon after Van Hecke was dismissed on the hour mark for a second yellow card following a crude challenge on Cesare Casadei, Mudryk put Chelsea ahead.

Gallagher added a third for Mauricio Pochettino’s side and Jackson a fourth before 10-man Brighton got two late goals.

Former Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour was involved in the build-up to the opening goal on 13 minutes.

Gilmour’s cross to the far post was headed down by Kaoru Mitoma to Welbeck, who fired home.

Chelsea hit back seven minutes later courtesy of a scrappy finish by Nkunku after good work by Carney Chukwuemenka.

Another summer signing, Jackson, helped set up Chelsea’s second and third goals – a crisp half-volley from Mudryk and a close-range finish from Gallagher.

And Jackson got on the scoresheet himself with a thumping strike after being found by a great ball from Marc Cucurella.

In the final minutes, Joao Pedro made it 4-2 with a penalty after he had been fouled by Levi Colwill, and then set up Deniz Undav for Albion’s third.

Chelsea: Kepa, Gusto (Humphreys 71), Silva (Chalobah 45), Colwil (Hall 81)l, Chilwell (Cucurella 45), Santos (Fernandes 63), Gallagher, Maatsen (Casadei 45), Sterling (Angelo 63), Chukwuemeka (Mudryk 45), Nkunku (Jackson 63).