Chelsea’s 2024-25 campaign got off to a lackluster start as they drew 0-0 against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge. The Blues’ struggles were evident in their inability to create scoring chances, with Palace dominating possession and restricting space for Cole Palmer.
Josh Acheampong played a crucial role in Chelsea’s defense, holding his own against Palace’s physical threat, but the young center-back also committed mistakes that nearly led to goals. Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah also struggled to cope with Palace’s press, making misplaced passes that left them on the back foot.
Chelsea’s best chance came in stoppage time when substitute Andrey Santos had a free shot just inside the box, but he skied it wildly over the bar. The game ended 0-0 after VAR ruled out an initially awarded goal to Palace due to Guehi’s proximity to the wall during the free kick.
Manager Enzo Maresca praised Acheampong’s performance, saying he dealt with Mateta well and showed confidence in his defense. He also highlighted Estevao’s potential, stating that he has the capacity to add excitement and thrills to Chelsea’s play.
The question now is whether Chelsea can recover from this underwhelming start. They face a challenging match against West Ham on Friday, August 22.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6556017/2025/08/17/chelsea-palace-acheampong-estevao