Joao Pedro hat-trick powers Chelsea past Sydney Wanderers in Alonso's debut

Chelsea kicked off their summer preseason in Australia with a wild 6-4 win over Sydney Wanderers, giving new manager Xabi Alonso a winning start. The Blues were off and running inside six minutes: Dastan Satpayev broke free from two defenders and slotted home at the near post. Anthony Pantazopoulos doubled the lead eight minutes later, nodding home from a corner. Sydney Wanderers pulled one back on 32 minutes when Aidan Hammond danced past a marker inside the box and fired low into the far corner. Chelsea restored their two-goal cushion six minutes later through Dario Essugo, who finished off a flowing move. The hosts cut the deficit again on 62 minutes after a sloppy Chelsea clearance fell to Dylan Scicluna, who swerved past a defender and buried his shot - 3-2. A raft of substitutions followed, and the game turned into a goal-fest. Jamie Bynoe-Gittens made it 4-2 on 64 minutes, but Sydney responded on 76: Jerrod Carluccio weaved through several challenges and set up Avan Lual for a composed finish. Then came the Joao Pedro show. The Brazilian striker hammered home from the edge of the box on 80 minutes, repeated the trick five minutes later from almost the same spot, and completed his hat-trick on 89 by turning in a loose ball after a scramble in the area. Chelsea's next friendly is against Tottenham on August 1 at 12:45.