OFFICIAL: Chelsea suffer first defeat under head coach Xabi Alonso

Tottenham secured a thrilling 2-1 win against Chelsea in the Sydney Super Cup friendly on August 1. Richarlison netted the winner in added time, even though the Spurs were reduced to ten players for the majority of the second half.

The London derby at Accor Stadium was lively from the opening minutes. Tottenham started aggressively and took the lead in the 17th minute. Sandro Tonali fired a shot from outside the box, which deflected off a Chelsea player, leaving goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe with no chance to react.

Chelsea needed only four minutes to level the match. From a wing play, Estêvão positioned himself perfectly and headed the ball past Antonin Kinsky to make it 1-1. Both teams maintained a high tempo for the rest of the first half, while a fierce tackle by Conor Gallagher sparked a scuffle between players from both sides.

The turning point came early in the second half. Kevin Danso, who came on as a substitute at halftime, fouled João Pedro as the Chelsea striker was about to break through on goal. The referee showed a straight red card, leaving Tottenham with ten men from the 49th minute onward. Match developments

With a numerical advantage, Chelsea pushed forward and controlled most of the game. Cole Palmer and his teammates applied constant pressure but struggled against Spurs' deep defensive line. Goalkeeper Kinsky made several crucial saves to keep Tottenham in the game with the score tied.

Just as the match seemed destined to end 1-1, Tottenham delivered a decisive blow. In the 90+2nd minute, Jamie Donley's shot hit the post, and Richarlison was quick to slot the rebound into an empty net, securing a 2-1 victory.

Tottenham left the Sydney Super Cup with a display full of fighting spirit in front of over 80,000 spectators. Chelsea controlled possession and played with a man advantage for most of the second half, but their lack of sharpness in front of goal meant the team of head coach Xabi Alonso suffered their first defeat in the 2026 summer tour.