Chelsea earned respite from their difficult start to the season under Mauricio Pochettino as Nicolas Jackson’s second-half goal gave them a 1-0 win against Brighton in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
Roberto De Zerbi’s high-flying visitors dominated possession for much of the game but home fans witnessed their side put on an effective counter-attacking display at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had gone three games without scoring, but that run ended when Jackson struck early in the second half after being set up by Cole Palmer, planting a composed finish into the corner to ease his personal struggles in front of goal.
Pochettino made five changes from the side beaten by Aston Villa on Sunday, with Palmer brought in for his first start.
The former Manchester City forward began in an advanced three alongside Mykhailo Mudryk and Ian Maatsen, but was at his most effective when dropping to receive the ball deep, seeking out the critical final-third passes that have eluded Chelsea and meant they have scored just five league goals in six games.
Jackson had an early sight of goal, winning the ball on the edge of Brighton’s box and hitting a left-footed drive that deflected over.
Robert Sanchez was one of three former Brighton players in the Chelsea line-up and twice in the first period the goalkeeper almost gifted his former side the lead, first passing the ball straight to the feet of Joao Pedro who chipped it inches over the bar, then putting Moises Caicedo under pressure in a central position. He was dispossessed by Carlo Baleba, who rolled the ball to Ansu Fati to fire wide from the best opening of the half.
Brighton had enjoyed 66 per cent possession by the half-hour mark, leaving Chelsea to look for openings on the break.
The lively Mudryk ran in behind from Caicedo’s defence-splitting pass, only for Tariq Lamptey to slide in with an expertly timed intervention.
Minutes later, Mudryk turned provider, latching on to Levi Colwill’s forceful tackle that sent the ball spinning upfield and crossing low to the near post for Palmer to side-foot wide under pressure from Igor Julio.
Chelsea had endured their worst start to a season in 45 years but relief looked finally to have arrived five minutes after half-time.
Maatsen received the ball centrally and laid it into the feet of Palmer, who had been a lurking first-half threat playing between the lines. He tucked it in cleverly to Jackson, who wrong-footed Bart Verbruggen to guide home his second goal for the club.
It was just the third time this season that Pochettino had seen his team take the lead, and they should have gone further in front when Mudryk’s energetic midfield pressing won the ball and set Jackson away, but this time the goalkeeper got the best of their duel after spreading himself well.
Home fans thought Jackson had scored the second goal his performance deserved when he slotted home from Palmer’s pass, but the offside flag cut short celebrations.
Brighton had late chances to level, first when Pervis Estupinan collected a raking ball and ran it to the byline, but no one had gambled as his cross fizzed across goal.
Pedro then thumped a volley over the bar from Axel Disasi’s weak headed clearance but Chelsea held on to finally hand Pochettino room to breathe.
Salas hits seven as Costa Rica maul St Kitts and Nevis 19-0 to top Group C in League A
Maria Paula Salas scored seven goals, as Costa Rica mauled St Kitts and Nevis 19-0 to secure top spot in Group C of League A of the Concacaf Women's Gold Cup qualifiers at the SKNFA Technical Centre in Basseterre, on Monday night.
By virtue of topping the group, Costa Rica advanced to next year's Concacaf Women's Gold Cup group stage, while runners-up Haiti will progress to the Preliminary stage of the tournament.
The Ticas wasted no time to get going and held a 3-0 lead after five minutes with a pair of Salas goals in the second and fifth minutes, sandwiching an Alexa Herrera third-minute goal.
Salas then notched her hat-trick in the ninth, and a minute later, it was 5-0, as she added a bouncing a header.
Gloriana Villalobos extended the lead in the 19th, followed by the fifth goal for Salas in the 23rd, and then Fabiola Villalobos scoring in the 25th, on a powerful right-footed shot to make it 8-0.
There was another spurt of goals from Costa Rica shortly before halftime, beginning with Herrera in the 43rd, Sheika Scott in the 44th, Raquel Rodriguez in the 45+3 from the penalty spot, and a sixth goal from Salas in the 45+5 with a shot from close-range, to put Costa Rica 12-0 up at the break.
Though the game was already done and dusted, Costa Rica kept the pressure on and added another in the 49th through Salas.
Melissa Herrera added her name to the score sheet with a 59th-minute header, before Alexandra Pinell squeezed in a shot in the 64th.
A right-footed volley off a corner kick from Mariela Campos in the 68th, stretched the lead, and the night was then capped by Tanisha Fonseca nodding home a header in the 89th, Emilie Valenciano slotting one home in the 90+2, and Fonseca tacking on another in the 90+3 to complete the 19-0 scoreline.
Belize, Curacao end Gold Cup qualifiers on high
Belize and Curacao wrapped up their Concacaf Women's Gold Cup qualifying campaign with victories in Groups A and D of League C on Monday.
Aruba vs Belize
Group A winners Belize celebrated their accomplishment with a 1-0 victory against Aruba at the Guillermo P. Trinidad Stadium in Oranjestad, Aruba.
With the win, Belize ended unbeaten in six games and maximum 18 points, while outscoring opponents 20-1. Second-placed Aruba wrapped up their campaign with three wins and three loses, the nine points.
It was a very tight affair throughout the entire match, as both teams nullified each other's attacking prowess. As such, it wasn't until the 85th minute that Belize found the all-important strike, and it fittingly came from the right foot of Mikhaila Bowden.
Bowden's well-taken freekick lodged in the top right-hand corner of the goal, as she finished as one of the team’s top scorers on the campaign with five goals.
Turks and Caicos Islands vs Bonaire
Bonaire were also victorious in their Group A finale, as they blanked Turks and Caicos Islands 2-0 at the TCIFA National Stadium in Providenciales.
It was the second victory for Bonaire, who ended with two wins, one draw and three losses, and seven points. Turks and Caicos Islands finished in fourth.
Both Bonaire goals came in the first half. Vurgy-Ann Visers broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when she turned in a cross from the left wing from Jeanelle Thode.
Celine Van Loe then doubled the advantage in the 35th, with a thumping header off a corner kick to complete the day’s scoring for the visitors.
Curacao vs Cayman Islands
Curacao defeated Cayman Islands 6-1 at the Stadion Rignaal Jean Francisca in Willemstad, Curacao.
Curacao topped Group D with a perfect four wins in as many games, while Cayman Islands finished in third with a point.
The host raced out to an early 2-0 lead on the strength of goals from Jeleaugh Rosa in the fifth minute, and Kadisha Martina in the 19th.
But Cayman Islands responded in the 26th, courtesy of a Chelsea Brown free kick.
Cayman Islands almost pulled level in the 55th, as Molly Kehoe went on a stunning solo run, but Curacao goalkeeper Julainy Fanijten Thielman came up with a massive save.
Instead, it was Curacao that pushed further ahead, with Taisha Hansen finishing a 66th-minute right-footed effort.
Curaçao then added goals in the 81st, 86th and 90th from Martina, Sadeyah Rosa and Emily Pulido, who completed the rout.
Marcus Rashford: The stats behind the Manchester United forward’s struggles
Marcus Rashford goes into Manchester United’s game against Chelsea on Wednesday struggling for form this season.
Here, the PA news agency looks at how the forward has crashed back to earth after last term’s 30-goal exploits.
Season of struggle
Rashford was replaced in the second half after a frustrating outing against Newcastle, with manager Erik ten Hag saying afterwards: “He works hard and he is investing a lot. He will get back, he will recover and he’s got all our support.”
The contrast in the England international’s form compared to last season, though, is obvious.
In 24 appearances for club and country, Rashford has scored three goals – against Arsenal and Everton in the Premier League and for England against Italy.
He has yet to score at Old Trafford this season but does have three assists there, against Nottingham Forest in the league and Bayern Munich and Galatasaray in the Champions League.
Throw in a Champions League red card against Copenhagen – only the second of Rashford’s senior career – and it is all a far cry from this time last year when he was in the form of his life.
Off the pitch, Rashford was criticised by his manager for going out straight after the derby defeat to Manchester City for a pre-arranged birthday party, and had to tell a United fan channel to “stop spreading malicious rumours” over his future at the club in the following days. He was also involved in a car crash after September’s win over Burnley from which he escaped unhurt.
Clear contrast
The same number of appearances last season, 24, took Rashford up to the end of England’s World Cup campaign against France on December 10.
In those games he had scored 11 goals, again adding three assists. That included doubles against Arsenal in the league, Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League and Wales in Qatar – with four league goals, three in Europe, one in the Carabao Cup and three for England.
He went on to record a career-best 30 United goals in all competitions, which included scoring in the League Cup final as his side beat Newcastle to lift the trophy.
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