Chelsea’s super‑subs flipped the derby—but a long throw flipped the result

Chelsea looked to have engineered a come‑from‑behind victory through the bench, only to concede a 93rd‑minute equaliser from a long throw as Brentford forced a 2-2 draw. Cole Palmer volleyed the visitors level minutes after coming on and Alejandro Garnacho’s lively debut helped set up Moises Caicedo to thunder Chelsea ahead in the 85th minute, but Fabio Carvalho’s late tap‑in denied Enzo Maresca the win.

It felt like two points dropped after an opening half that demanded repairs and a second half that largely delivered them. The sting came from a set‑piece Chelsea knew was coming and still could not quell, a reminder of the ruthlessness required with a European week ahead.

Rotation gamble and a flat opening

Maresca rotated heavily and Chelsea never quite found first‑half rhythm. Wesley Fofana, making his first start since a serious hamstring lay‑off, was stationed at right‑back, Jorrel Hato started on the left and Facundo Buonanotte was handed the No 10 role despite limited preparation. The upshot was only one effort on target before the interval.

Brentford punished the hesitancy on 35 minutes when Jordan Henderson’s raking pass sprang Kevin Schade to finish past Robert Sánchez. “We knew it was a tough game,” Maresca said. “In the first half, we struggled to find solutions.” The head coach stressed that minutes for Fofana and Hato were pre‑planned as he managed fitness and workload across a crowded week.

Palmer’s spark, Garnacho’s instant edge

The recalibration arrived at half‑time. Reece James and Marc Cucurella added thrust from full‑back and Tyrique George replaced Buonanotte, sharpening the attack. Palmer’s introduction on 56 minutes changed the temperature; within five minutes he swept in a first‑time volley to make it 1-1 and later twice threatened to win it, only for Caoimhin Kelleher to stand tall.

The second blow appeared terminal for Brentford. New signing Garnacho made an immediate imprint on his Chelsea debut, helping create the chance for Caicedo to step onto a bouncing ball and rip a drive from the edge of the area beyond Kelleher with five minutes left. The turnaround looked complete.

Set‑piece slip at the death

But Brentford’s long‑throw barrage never stopped, and the final one proved fatal. Maresca had warned of the danger—multiple Bees can deliver deep into the six‑yard box—and the visitors had largely coped until added time. From Kevin Schade’s last launch, Chelsea switched off at the back post and substitute Fabio Carvalho drifted behind debutant Garnacho to level from close range.

“It’s a shame because we conceded in the 93rd minute and we could manage better that moment,” Maresca said, a verdict hard to dispute. Chelsea had earned control after the interval, only to let a single dead‑ball sequence undo an otherwise assured half.

Lessons with Bayern and Old Trafford looming

There was plenty to bank: Palmer’s poise on return, Caicedo’s confidence in striking the late lead, and encouraging minutes for James and Cucurella. The rotation plan delivered a fitter squad and, for long stretches, superior control of the second half.

But set‑piece discipline remains non‑negotiable, especially away from home against a team drilled by a former set‑piece coach. With Bayern Munich next and Manchester United to follow, Chelsea’s broader challenge is to master rotation without sacrificing late‑game clarity. This draw underlined both the promise of their depth and the price of a moment’s inattention.