A dramatic late goal from Fábio Carvalho secured a 2-2 draw for Brentford against Chelsea in a thrilling West London derby at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday. The match was a rollercoaster affair, with Brentford taking the lead, Chelsea staging a comeback, and Carvalho ultimately salvaging a point for the home side in stoppage time.
Brentford started strong, with Kevin Schade opening the scoring in the first half after 34 minutes. Jordan Henderson delivered an incisive through ball, setting up Schade to slot the ball past Chelsea's Robert Sanchez. Chelsea struggled to find their rhythm in the first half, managing only one shot on target.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca made a triple substitution at halftime, bringing on Reece James, Marc Cucurella and Tyrique George in an attempt to shake things up. The changes had an immediate impact, as Cole Palmer, who was returning from a groin injury, scored within five minutes of being introduced in the 56th minute to level the score. Palmer's well-taken volley brought Chelsea back into the game.
The Blues continued to press, and their efforts paid off in the 85th minute when Moisés Caicedo unleashed a stunning strike from the edge of the area, putting Chelsea ahead. Alejandro Garnacho drove to the box and pulled it back for Palmer. Brentford cleared the ball away, but it fell to Caicedo who rifled a shot into the top corner.
However, Brentford refused to surrender. In the 93rd minute, a long throw-in from Kayode caused chaos in the Chelsea box. Kristoffer Ajer flicked the ball on, and Carvalho was on hand to tuck it in from close range, sending the Brentford fans into raptures. The goal was Carvalho's sixth Premier League goal, remarkably, all of which have come in the 75th minute or later.
The draw sees Chelsea sitting fifth in the league standings with eight points from their opening four games. Brentford, meanwhile, will be buoyed by their fighting spirit and the valuable point earned against their local rivals.
Chelsea's inability to hold onto their late lead will be a concern for Maresca, especially with a Champions League clash against Bayern Munich looming next week. The Blues face a tough test to bounce back from this setback.
For Brentford, the late equalizer felt like a victory. The team displayed resilience and determination to snatch a point. The goal also highlighted Brentford's effectiveness from throw-ins, with Carvalho's strike being their seventh Premier League goal from a throw-in since the start of last season, at least five more than any other side in this period.
