Chelsea 3-3 Johor Darul Ta'zim Highlights, Club Friendly 2026: Blues Force Own Goal As High-Scoring Game Ends In Draw

Greetings, we are back with our Club Friendly 2026 live blog as Chelsea and Johor Darul Ta'zim face-off at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, Malaysia on Sunday in their final pre-season outing. Stay tuned for more updates

Chelsea and Johor Darul Ta'zim are set to face off at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, with the pre-season friendly scheduled to begin at 5:30 PM IST. Both sides will look to make the most of this final tune-up ahead of the new season.

Syihan Hazmi, Antonio Glauder, Shahab Zahedi, Arid Aiman, Dejan Petrovic, Eddy Israfilov, Oscar Arribas Pasero, Nacho Mendez, Jonathan Silva, Kevin Medina, Marcos Guilherme

The international club friendly is underway as Johor Darul Ta'zim and Chelsea kick off at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium with distinct tactical agendas.

The Malaysian giants have set up with a well-drilled, structured attacking approach, placing their trust in the frontline trio of Aiman, Zahedi, and Pasero to test the visitors' backline. In response, Chelsea have rolled out an energetic, youthful starting eleven packed with emerging talent, eager to seize the pre-season stage and impress the technical staff. Both sides are currently feeling each other out in the opening exchanges as they look to assert control.

Chelsea ramping up the pressure!

The Blues are beginning to find their rhythm in the international friendly against Johor Darul Ta'zim, stringing together a couple of promising attacking sequences.

First, Nicolas Jackson tried his luck from distance, unleashing a right-footed strike from outside the box that sailed just a bit too high over the crossbar, following a setup from Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli.

Minutes later, Chelsea came much closer to opening the scoring. Jackson turned provider this time, slipping a clever pass through to Liam Delap on the left side of the area. Delap drove a low left-footed shot toward the bottom right corner, but JDT goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi was sharp to the danger, diving down to make a crucial save and keep the hosts level.

Goal! Johor Darul Ta'zim strike first!

The home crowd erupts in Johor as the Malaysian giants take a shock lead against Chelsea.

The breakthrough came down the flank as Marcos Guilherme carved open the Blues' defense. Guilherme delivered a sharp ball across the face of goal, picking out Arif Aiman on the right side of the six-yard box. Aiman met it cleanly, steering a precise right-footed shot into the bottom right corner past the Chelsea goalkeeper to put JDT ahead.

Close again for Johor Darul Ta'zim!

The Malaysian side continues to press for a second goal, with Óscar Arribas coming agonizingly close to doubling their lead. Finding a pocket of space on the right, Arrisbas cut inside and let fly with a right-footed shot from a difficult angle. His curling effort had plenty of promise, but ultimately flashed narrowly wide of the post, much to the relief of the Chelsea backline.

JDT threatening from distance as Chelsea forced into a change!

Johor Darul Ta'zim continue to press for another goal, with Nacho Méndez trying his luck from distance. Picking up a neat pass from Marcos Guilherme, Méndez unleashed a powerful left-footed strike from outside the box, but his effort drifted just wide of the right post.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are forced into a premature tactical change. Aaron Anselmino has gone down with an injury and is replaced by Reggie Watson in the Blues' backline.

Penalty to Chelsea and it's leveled!

Liam Delap uses his strength brilliantly to draw a foul inside the penalty area, and the referee points straight to the spot.

Delap steps up to take the spot-kick himself and makes no mistake. He dispatches a confident right-footed shot straight into the bottom left corner, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way and bringing the Blues right back on level terms!

Chelsea pushing for a late goal in first half!

The Blues are ramping up the pressure in search of a second goal, testing the Johor Darul Ta'zim defense with consecutive efforts.

First, center-back Tosin Adarabioyo stepped forward and tried his luck with a right-footed strike from outside the box, but his ambitious effort sailed high and wide to the left.

Moments later, Chelsea caught the hosts on a rapid counter-attack. Nicolas Jackson slipped a brilliant through ball into the path of Liam Delap, who let fly with a right-footed shot from outside the area. His curling effort had the crowd holding their breath, but it flashed agonizingly close, missing just to the left of the post.

The referee blows the whistle to bring an entertaining first half to a close at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, with Johor Darul Ta'zim and Chelsea deadlocked at one goal apiece.

The hosts started brightly and broke the deadlock early, but Chelsea grew into the half and hit back before the break. Liam Delap restored parity for the Blues from the penalty spot after drawing a foul in the area, ensuring both sides head into the dressing rooms level after a competitive opening 45 minutes.

End-to-end action as both keepers stand firm!

The second half has kicked off at a frantic pace, with both sides trading dangerous blows in quick succession.

First, Chelsea carved out an opening down the left as Jamie Gittens teed up Nicolas Jackson. Jackson let fly with a right-footed strike from the left side of the box, but a desperate block from the Johor Darul Ta'zim defense denied the Blues.

The hosts immediately countered with venom. Shahab Zahedi found space inside the penalty area and unleashed a sharp left-footed shot toward the bottom left corner, but Chelsea goalkeeper Gaga Slonina reacted brilliantly to drop low and smother the effort.

Penalty to Chelsea! Blues take the lead!

Jamie Gittens uses his blistering pace and close control to weave into the box, where he is brought down under a clumsy challenge, leaving the referee no choice but to point straight to the spot.

Liam Delap steps up once again under pressure and makes no mistake, firing a clinical right-footed spot-kick home to score his second of the night and turn the match completely around for the Blues!

Goal! Johor Darul Ta'zim pull level in stunning fashion!

What a response from the hosts! Johor Darul Ta'zim are back on level terms thanks to a moment of absolute brilliance from Óscar Arribas. Stepping up to take a free-kick in a dangerous area, Arribas curls a sensational right-footed shot straight into the top right corner, leaving the Chelsea wall and goalkeeper completely helpless as the stadium erupts!

Gittens tests the keeper as Chelsea press for a third!

Jamie Gittens decides to try his luck from distance, unleashing a sharp right-footed strike from outside the penalty area. His effort has plenty of venom and is heading straight on target, but Johor Darul Ta'zim goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi is well-positioned to comfortably gather the ball in the center of the goal and defuse the danger.

Goal! Johor Darul Ta'zim retake the lead in a thriller!

The Sultan Ibrahim Stadium erupts once again as the hosts pull ahead! Bérgson finds space with a yard of room outside the penalty area and lets fly with a venomous right-footed strike, drilling his low shot perfectly into the bottom left corner and leaving the Chelsea defense stunned.

Own Goal! Chelsea level things up in a dramatic thriller!

Absolute chaos in the penalty area as Chelsea fight back once again! Pressure from the Blues forces a frantic scramble in front of goal, and defender Cristian Glauder unfortunately turns the ball past his own goalkeeper. The own goal levels the scoreline at 3-3, capping off an utterly wild and high-scoring encounter at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.

The referee blows the final whistle on an absolute classic at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, with Johor Darul Ta'zim and Chelsea sharing the spoils in a six-goal thriller.

It was an end-to-end contest from start to finish. Chelsea struck first through Liam Delap before the hosts mounted a fierce response, highlighted by Óscar Arribas's sensational free-kick and Bérgson's long-range strike. However, the Blues showed great resilience, clawing their way back into the match thanks to a late own goal by Cristian Glauder that ensured honors even.