Chelsea concluded their pre-season tour of Asia with a wild 3-3 draw against Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta'zim, in a fixture that descended into a bad-tempered affair marked by seven yellow cards and abandoned penalties.
The Blues found themselves on the back foot early on as JDT took the lead against the run of play, exploiting gaps in a Chelsea back three that struggled to cope with the hosts' physical approach. Throughout the contest, JDT players were repeatedly involved in late tackles and confrontations away from the ball, leaving defender Tosin Adarabioyo among several Chelsea players clearly irritated by the tactics being employed against them.
Chelsea equalised just before the interval when Liam Delap stepped up to convert from the penalty spot, drawing his side level after the opening setback. The forward then squandered a clear chance to put Chelsea ahead moments later, failing to capitalise on a golden opportunity before the break.
Delap made up for the missed chance shortly after the restart, coolly dispatching a second penalty of the afternoon to hand Chelsea the advantage for the first time in the match. It appeared as though the visitors were set to close out the pre-season tour with a victory, but JDT had other ideas.
The hosts responded with a spirited fightback in the closing stages, scoring twice in quick succession to flip the scoreline in their favour and put Chelsea on the back foot as the match entered its final minutes. With time running out, Chelsea pushed for a leveller, and it arrived through an unlikely source. A cross from Mykhailo Mudryk caused confusion in the Johor Darul Ta'zim defence, with Antonio Glauder inadvertently turning the ball into his own net under pressure from a Chelsea attacker to make it 3-3 in the 88th minute.
With the scores level heading into stoppage time, both sets of players appeared to be preparing for a penalty shootout to settle the encounter, and Chelsea's squad reportedly lined up ready to take spot-kicks. However, the shootout was ultimately scrapped. According to Chelsea's own broadcast team, the decision to abandon the penalties came amid concerns that the increasingly tense and heated atmosphere on the pitch could escalate further if the game continued.
The match therefore finished as a 3-3 draw, bringing an eventful end to Chelsea's tour of the region. While the result itself carries little significance given the friendly nature of the fixture, the match will likely be remembered more for its combative undertones than for the six goals scored across the 90-plus minutes.
Chelsea will now shift their focus away from pre-season commitments and toward preparations for the upcoming domestic campaign. The draw in Malaysia serves as the final hit-out before the club begins in earnest, with manager and players expected to review the tour before turning their attention fully to competitive action.
For Johor Darul Ta'zim, the draw against a major European side represents a notable result on home soil, even if the manner of the game — littered with cautions and disciplinary issues — overshadowed some of the attacking quality on display from both teams.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.