Chelsea Ends Goal Drought with 2-0 Victory Over Fulham

 Chelsea Ends Goal Drought with 2-0 Victory Over Fulham

Conor Gallagher of Chelsea controls the ball during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Chelsea FC at Craven Cottage on October 02, 2023 in London, England.(Image-Getty)

Chelsea ended their goal drought with a convincing 2-0 victory over their neighbors Fulham in the Premier League on Monday. This much-needed win saw Mykhailo Mudryk scoring his debut goal for the Blues, and Armando Broja also made his mark, celebrating his return from injury.

Before this match, Mauricio Pochettino's high-priced, revamped Chelsea side had struggled to find the back of the net in their previous three league games. They had only managed five goals in six top-flight matches this season before their visit to Craven Cottage.

In a crucial turning point, Chelsea seized control of the West London derby within just two first-half minutes. In the 18th minute, Ukrainian winger Mudryk expertly chested down a cross from Levi Colwill and slotted the ball past goalkeeper Bernd Leno. A minute later, poor defending by the hosts allowed Broja to double Chelsea's lead.

This goal marked Mudryk's first since joining Chelsea nine months ago, while Broja, who replaced the suspended Nicolas Jackson, was making his first start since recovering from a knee injury sustained at the end of 2022.

Armando Broja expressed his delight about his goal, stating, "It's an unbelievable feeling. It's been a long time coming. We are gelling as a team. It's not going to happen overnight ... It's important for us to have that time and to keep progressing as a team."

Ian Maatsen, who came off the bench at halftime after Mudryk suffered an injury, nearly made it three for Chelsea when he struck the post in the 62nd minute. The result secured only Chelsea's second league win of the season and propelled them to 11th place in the league standings with eight points, leapfrogging Fulham, who are now 13th, on goal difference.

A relieved Pochettino praised his team's fantastic performance, highlighting the positive aspects. He emphasized the need to maintain belief, work hard, and find better solutions.

Pochettino downplayed concerns about new injuries for Broja, Moises Caicedo, and Enzo Fernandez, despite several key players already being sidelined. However, he noted that Mudryk had felt a problem in his thigh at the end of the first half.

Fulham coach Marco Silva lamented the soft goals his team had conceded to Chelsea, acknowledging that these goals created a challenging scenario for his side. While addressing questions about the absence of Aleksandar Mitrovic, who left for Saudi club Al-Hilal in August, Silva emphasized the importance of his current crop of players and the need to work on being more effective and making better decisions.