Ian Maatsen was the initial unlikely hero in the opening friendly of the club’s US pre-season tour in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on Wednesday night, netting at either end of the first half as he starred for a surprisingly youthful starting XI named by Pochettino with an average of just 19.
Maatsen’s first goal, a low effort swept past the helpless Ben Foster, came after only three minutes and via a tidy assist from Chelsea debutant Nicolas Jackson, a £31million recent signing from LaLiga side Villarreal.
His second was equally as composed a finish from inside the box, teed up by a brilliant one-two with Carney Chukwuemeka.
Chelsea should have made it 3-0 20 minutes from time when Raheem Sterling somehow nodded over an enticing back-post cross from another of their debutants in Brazilian winger Angelo Gabriel, the newest acquistion from Santos.
But they turned on the style late on, Conor Gallagher squeezing a low shot home after a mazy run from Sterling and French forward Nkunku, Chelsea’s headline summer signing so far at £53m from RB Leipzig, slotting in having been picked out by the impressive Cesare Casadei.
Chelsea made it five against the League Two newcomers – whose Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were not in attendance at Kenan Memorial Stadium – with the last action of a one-sided encounter as Gabriel split the tired Wrexham defence with a pinpoint ball that was collected and scooped in with aplomb by Ben Chilwell.
More follows
