Chelsea returns to the League Cup thanks to four goals in 13 minutes
In the League Cup, the Alonso team of FC Chelsea turned the 0-2 deficit against Leeds United into a spectacular comeback. Coach Xabi Alonso, Chelsea's new manager, celebrated after a match in which four goals were scored in just 13 minutes and the Blues secured the round of 16, guaranteeing progression in the competition.
Alonso's tactical turnaround
Coach Xabi Alonso, who had led Bayer Leverkusen to the double in 2024, made several substitutions at halftime. He introduced Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers into the game, with Palmer scoring from the penalty spot in the 53rd minute and two minutes later equalising. Rogers then set up three goals that further extended the lead.
Young talents and debutants
The 16‑year‑old Reggie Watson celebrated his professional debut for the Blues and was 16 years and 226 days old at the time of his appearance. Former Dortmund player Jamie Gittens started in the lineup despite having not yet featured in the league. For Leeds, former Frankfurt goalkeeper Michael Zetterer was in goal for the first time, having moved from Hessen to Leeds at the end of August. Leeds manager Daniel Farke, a German, had to relinquish his team's early lead.
Chelsea won the match 6-3 and scored eight goals in the second half. Four of those strikes came within 13 minutes, marking the turnaround and to the dismay of two Germans. This took the team into the round of 16 of the English League Cup, continuing their campaign in the competition.
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Palmer levelled the 0-2 deficit with his brace within two minutes. Pedro Neto made it 3-2 in the 60th minute, before Danny Welbeck put the score to 4-2 in the 65th minute. Each goal was a crucial strike for the Blues, and Welbeck sealed the final score in stoppage time.
Leeds striker Tarik Muharemovic (23') and Brenden Aaronson (48') had taken the early lead. Dominic Calvert‑Lewin pulled the score back to 4-3 in the 75th minute, but the Blues' resistance kept the result unchanged. With their late goals, the Leeds players tried to mount a comeback.
Thus the Alonso team demonstrated that, despite a cautious lineup in the League Cup, they remain competitive. The victory keeps the Blues in the League Cup until the quarter‑finals and boosts the squad's morale for the ongoing league campaign.
After the match, Xabi Alonso emphasised that the displayed determination serves as an example for the upcoming season. He added that the team must continue working on its defence.