Joao Pedro and Palmer combine as Chelsea beat Fulham, Enzo Fernandez booed
Chelsea opened the Premier League season with a 3:2 away win over Fulham, with Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer each scoring after setting up the other, while midfielder Enzo Fernandez was jeered by the crowd.
Chelsea began the new Premier League campaign with a 3:2 victory away at Fulham, in a match marked by sharp finishing and defensive errors.
Chelsea took the lead after just half a minute, when Cole Palmer sent Brazilian forward Joao Pedro through on goal one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and Pedro finished clinically. Fulham responded in the middle of the first half, as Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sanchez failed to keep out a near-post effort from young English midfielder Josh King, levelling the score.
Before the break, Chelsea regained the lead when French defender Maxence Lacroix drove into the box, beat his marker and squared the ball to new signing Morgan Rogers, who tapped in from close range. Rogers joined Chelsea from Aston Villa this summer for an English transfer record fee, while Lacroix arrived from Crystal Palace.
Early in the second half, Pedro and Palmer switched roles, with the Brazilian setting up the Englishman to extend Chelsea's lead to two goals. Fulham cut the deficit again soon after, when Sanchez parried a shot from Timothy Castagne straight to compatriot Gonzalo Garcia, who converted the rebound.
Midway through the second half, Chelsea's Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez was substituted on to jeers and whistles from the crowd. The hostility towards him has been linked to his goal against England in the World Cup semi-final, as well as persistent speculation about a possible move to Chelsea rivals Manchester City.
The win gave Chelsea a perfect start to the season, while Fulham suffered a home defeat in the opening round.
