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By John Ogunsemore
Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca said the club had a “very poor night” in the 3-1 loss to Leeds United.
Leeds pulled off a ferocious performance at Elland Road on Wednesday night to defeat Maresca’s side, snapping a four-match losing streak and climbing out of the Premier League’s relegation zone.
The breakthrough came as early as the sixth minute when Slovenian defender Jaka Bijol rose highest to power home a thumping header from Anton Stach’s inswinging corner.
Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez got a hand to it, but the ball had too much venom, crashing into the net to ignite the home faithful.
It marked Bijol’s first goal for Leeds and set the tone for a first half of unrelenting pressure.
Leeds, who entered the game with just three points from their previous 13 matches, refused to relent.
Despite Chelsea enjoying 73% possession in the opening period, the hosts created the better chances, with Pascal Struijk and Ao Tanaka both going close.
The Japanese midfielder, signed from Fortuna Düsseldorf in the summer, then announced his arrival in spectacular fashion two minutes before halftime.
Latching onto a loose ball 25 yards out, Tanaka unleashed a rocket of a strike into the bottom corner, leaving Sánchez rooted to the spot. It was Tanaka’s first Premier League goal and sent the supporters into raptures.
Chelsea, unbeaten in seven across all competitions coming into the fixture, looked shell-shocked.
Maresca’s double change at the interval brought on Pedro Neto, and the visitors responded swiftly after the restart.
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Five minutes in, Jamie Gittens’ teasing cross from the left found the unmarked Neto at the far post, who volleyed home his fifth league goal of the season to halve the deficit and inject brief hope.
The momentum swung back decisively in Leeds’ favor on the hour mark.
Substitute Noah Okafor pounced on a catastrophic error from Tosin Adarabioyo inside his own box, stripping the Chelsea defender of possession before squaring to Dominic Calvert-Lewin for a simple tap-in.
The former Everton striker, on loan at Leeds since the summer, coolly slotted home to make it 3-1.
In a post-match, Maresca admitted Chelsea “got what they deserved”.
He noted that his squad needed to “reset” quickly ahead of Saturday’s away game to Bournemouth.
The Italian tactician also spoke on his halftime decision to withdraw Brazilian youngster Estêvão.
The Brazilian, who appeared frustrated, had got a yellow card for kicking Gabriel Gudmundsson.
Maresca said he was substituted to prevent a red card.
“Sometimes at 18, it is not so easy to manage emotions.
“It was safer to take him off to avoid a possible red card,” he said.
