Chelsea took the initiative and took control of the game early. In the 14th minute, coach Enzo Maresca was forced to make a forced substitution when Liam Delap was injured, giving way to Tyrique George.
Fulham seemed to have an advantage in the 22nd minute after Joshua King's shot into Chelsea's net, but after consulting VAR, the referee determined that there was a mistake in the previous situation and did not recognize the goal.
After losing, Chelsea took advantage of the opportunity. In the last minute of injury time in the first half, Joao Pedro jumped high to head the ball accurately from a corner kick, opening the score 1-0.
Entering the second half, the blue team continued to benefit from VAR technology. In the 51st minute, the referee determined that Fulham player let the ball touch his hand in the penalty area. Enzo Fernandez converted the penalty in the 56th minute, doubling Chelsea's lead.
In the remaining minutes, Fulham tried to raise their formation but lacked sharpness in finishing. Chelsea also created a number of more chances, notably Joao Pedro's long-range shot in the 86th minute, but could not beat goalkeeper Bernd Leno. The match ended with a 2-0 victory for the home team.
This result helped Chelsea increase their total points to 7 after 3 rounds, temporarily keeping close to the top group. Enzo Fernandez continued to leave his mark with his ability to control the midfield and his coolness at the penalty spot. Meanwhile, Fulham left Stamford Bridge with many regrets when they could not take advantage of the opportunity, especially after the goal was denied by VAR.
