Alonso defeats Arbeloa in his first mission with Chelsea

Spanish coach Xabi Alonso enjoyed a successful start with Chelsea, despite a hard-fought 3-2 victory over rivals Fulham in the West London derby at Craven Cottage, concluding the first round of the English Premier League.

Brazilian Joao Pedro opened the scoring for Chelsea just 31 seconds after the opening whistle, while Morgan Rogers, making his debut in the “Blues” shirt, added a goal in the 41st minute, and Cole Palmer scored in the 49th. Fulham’s goals came from Joshua King in the 23rd minute and new signing Gonzalo Garcia in the 54th.

Chelsea signed Alonso to put the club back on track after a disappointing 10th-place finish in the league last season. The former Real Madrid manager is seeking to prove his worth after being dismissed from the Spanish club in less than eight months in charge.

Pedro opened the scoring in the first minute, but an error by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez allowed King to equalize. Rogers restored Chelsea’s lead in his first match since becoming the most expensive British player in history after his £130 million ($159 million) transfer from Aston Villa during the summer window.

Palmer extended the “Blues’” lead after the break, as Chelsea survived a dramatic finish following Gonzalo Garcia’s second goal for Fulham, a header resulting from another Sanchez mistake.

Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez came on as a substitute in the 64th minute amid loud boos from Fulham fans, following his provocative role in Argentina’s World Cup semi-final victory over England.

In an evening that brought old friends together on the touchline and on the pitch, Alonso secured victory over Fulham’s new manager, his compatriot Alvaro Arbeloa. The two friends played together for seven years at Real Madrid and Liverpool, and also shone with the Spanish national team.

In a twist of fate, Arbeloa rose from Real Madrid’s youth setup to replace Alonso when the latter was sacked as coach at the Santiago Bernabeu in January.