Chelsea beaten by Bayern in Singapore

The Premier League Champions wre brought back down to earth with a bump following their demolition of Arsenal a few days ago. The Germans were by far the better side on this occasion and the final score of 3-2 somewhat flattered Antonio Conte’s men.

The German side took the lead after just 6 minutes as Rafinha carried the ball forward from the halfway line before firing a low shot home from distance with his right foot. A great strike, but there was more to come from the Bavarians.

They doubled their lead just 6 minutes later after Franck Ribery bamboozled Cesar Azpilicueta down the left and dinked the ball across goal where Thomas Muller was on hand to gleefully convert from 6 yards.

Chelsea looked dumbstruck by the early onslaught and their frustration was clear with Fabregas, Cahill and Moses all snapping into challenges, with the latter being booked for a nasty looking challenge on Friedl.

James Rodriguez should have made it 3-0 after 18 minutes when Ribery found him all alone at the far post after Fabregas was dispossessed. The Colombian took a touch to steady himself but fired well over Thibaut Courtois’ crossbar.

It took Chelsea 25 minutes to have their first meaningful shot, with Willian firing a tame effort wide from 20 yards after exchanging passes with Boga.

Angered by their audacity, Bayern went straight down the other end and extended their lead. Chelsea were caught with too many men forward and Bayern ruthlessly countered. Lewandowski’s off the ball movement created space for Thomas Muller to run into and when no-one closed him down he took aim from 25 yards and rifled a shot past Courtois with his right foot.

Mercifully, at this point Chelsea began to actually create the odd opening. Fabregas found Boga with a long ball over the top but Bayern keeper Tom Starke did well to come out and smother the danger.

Willian then fired a free-kick into the wall before Batshuayi tested Starke with an effort from the edge of the box but the German was equal to it and pushed it wide.

Gary Cahill rose highest from the resulting corner but could only plant a header wide of the far post.

Antonio Conte’s side did get a goal back right on the stroke of half-time through Marcos Alonso. Chelsea cleared a corner and set off on the counter, the ball was worked to N’Golo Kante whoo played to ball to Willian on the right, the Brazilian dummied it and allowed it to run for Victor Moses, whose low, first time cross evaded everyone, except Alonso at the far post. The Spaniard kept his composure and lashed a powerful effort beyond Starke and into the far corner.

The stats at half-time showed that Bayern had scored from all three of their shots on target in the first half, a clinical display from Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

Bayern made a couple of changes at half-time including a change in shape but they started the second half on top.Tolisso ballooned an ambitious effort well wide before Ribery volleyed over from the edge of the box after being found by Coman.

James wasted a fantastic chance after 57 minutes when he headed Friedl’s pinpoint cross from the left wide when completely unmarked.

Franck Ribery was at the heart of all of Bayern’s good play in the second half, on the hour mark he burst forward, leaving Chelsea players in his wake before playing in James who was denied by a fantastic last-ditch challenge from Cahill.

James had two more glorious chances in quick succession around the 70 minute mark. The first came as he dragged a low shot just wide from the edge of the box after being found by Ribery following a swift Bayern counter.

The second came after more fantastic work from the veteran Ribery, the Frenchman beat two Chelsea players on the edge of the box before playing in James who got to the ball ahead of David Luiz but saw his low effort kept out by the foot of Courtois.

Chelsea then had a brief mini-rally as Willian fired over after good hold-up play from Batshuayi and David Luiz saw his long-range effort deflected onto the post.

The Blues did manage to score a second late on woth Michy Batshuayi continuing his pre-season hot streak, the Belgian prodding home after Alvaro Morata had flicked on Cesc Fabregas’ corner from the left.

That was as far as any comeback went though as Bayern deservedly emerged victorious.