Source: Daily_Mail
Reading 2 Chelsea 2: Ancelotti's blushes saved by Kalou and last gasp own goal
Welcome to English football, Signor Ancelotti. What was supposed to have been a stroll in the park almost turned into an embarrassment as Chelsea completed their pre-season schedule by salvaging a last-gasp draw against Championship opponents.
Call it fatigue after their four-match tour of the United States orlack of intensity. The way Carlo Ancelotti saw it, the sharpness he hascome to expect in his brief tenure at Stamford Bridge was not there.
But that, he said with a shrug, will be easily put right. Ancelotti is still learning English so did not give too much insight into what he had learned, if anything, about his team, whose blushes against a pumped-up Reading were spared with a goal in the last minute of normal time and another well into the three minutes added on.
This may only have been a friendly but the way Chelsea responded after a poor first half showed a pride and determination that augurs well for the new season.
'English matches are different to those in other countries where there are pauses. Here you have to run for 90 minutes but my players know this,' Ancelotti said.
'This match took place a day after heavy training and there was a lack of sharpness. We played too slowly at first and we have to improve. But we are in good shape.'
John Terry, who rejected a reported £250,000-a-week offer from Manchester City, received the biggest welcome from a healthy away support at what was the club's only domestic friendly following their 100 per cent record in the States.
Ancelotti retained the formation he believes will serve Chelsea best during his first season in charge, with Frank Lampard at the head of a diamond midfield, John Mikel Obi at the base and Nicolas Anelka up front alongside Didier Drogba, who lasted 70 minutes before being substituted, as were most of those who started.
Reading took the lead seven minutes before the break when Jimmy Kebe pounced on a somewhat fortuitous rebound to round Petr Cech and shoot home.
Then, with virtually the last kick of the first half, Chelsea were two behind. Terry, beaten for pace, brought down Shane Long on the edge of the box and Scott Davies drove home the free-kick.
Salomon Kalou's last-minute goal seemed no more than a consolation, only for Chelsea to snatch the equaliser, courtesy of an own goal by Reading's Alex Pearce.
