Chelsea youngsters beaten by Swindon
Swindon 2 Chelsea Under-23s 1
Mukhtar Ali’s brilliant strike could not prevent Chelsea Under-23s from losing on their debut in the renamed and restructured EFL Trophy.
Swindon went in front on 18 minutes when centre-back Raphael Rossi-Branco soared above Fikayo Tomori at the far post plant a firm header home at the far post.
Mason Mount went close to equalising almost immediately as he struck the underside of the bar from the edge of the box, while Charlie Wakefield and Isaac Christie-Davies produced comfortable saves from the Robins’ second-choice keeper Will Henry
Chelsea’s youngsters moved the ball around nicely throughout but Swindon were more effective when they had it, and doubled their lead on the hour mark from another set-piece.
Blues keeper Bradley Collins had just made a fine save to deny Ellis Iandolo, but was left helpless when Swindon substitute Nathan Delfouneso met a free-kick with a glancing header which drifted in off the far post.
Mount continued to impress, springing through a crowd of Swindon players on the left and forcing a block from Henry, who later had to push away the 17-year-old’s dipping shot from distance.
He was overshadowed though by 18-year-old Ali, who latched on to a clever flick from Christie-Davies and arrowed an effort into the top right-hand corner.
Chelsea couldn’t muster an equaliser, while a limping Collins made late saves from Swindon’s QPR loanee Darnell Furlong and substitute Jonathan Obika.
Adi Viveash’s side will also face Exeter and Oxford in the new group-stage format of the competition, which used to be the Football League Trophy.
Chelsea Under-23s: Collins; Sterling, T. Chalobah, Tomori, J. Dasilva; Quintero (Ali 75), Scott (Taylor-Crossdale 64); Wakefield, Mount, Christie-Davies; Ugbo (Colley 57).
Subs not used: Muheim, Sammut, St Clair, Thompson.
