Salzburg 3-5 Chelsea: Pulisic stars as Pedro scores a stunner

Christian Pulisic starred and Pedro netted an outrageous mid-air flick in Chelsea’s entertaining 5-3 friendly win over Salzburg on Wednesday.

Pulisic – who Chelsea signed for a reported £58million in January before loaning him back to Borussia Dortmund – opened the scoring in his side’s triumph, which was set up by three first-half goals in the space of just eight minutes. 

The United States international then won a penalty that Ross Barkley converted for his third goal in as many pre-season matches, before Pulisic showed off his pace and class with another stylish finish.

Jerome Onguene pulled one back for the hosts before Pedro scored a jaw-dropping goal worthy of any highlight reel, while Takumi Minamino’s late double came either side of a determined finish from substitute Michy Batshuayi.

RB Salzburg score with the last kick of the game but it’s still been a fantastic display by the Blues!

Just one more pre-season game to go!#RBSCHE pic.twitter.com/7LlMwAklWk

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 31, 2019

Chelsea moved ahead after David Luiz cleared an effort from Hwang Hee-chan, as Pulisic latched onto an excellent throughball from Pedro and sent a composed finish into the bottom-left corner in the 20th minute.

Pulisic was brought down in the area by a clumsy Rasmus Kristensen challenge and Barkley was successful from the spot just three minutes later.

Chelsea extended their lead when Barkley released Pulisic and he beat Mohamed Camara and Diadie Samassekou before calmly slotting past onrushing goalkeeper Cican Stankovic.

Onguene rose above David Luiz to nod home for Salzburg five minutes after the restart but Chelsea restored their three-goal advantage when an airborne Pedro flicked a Barkley cross over Stankovic with his trailing leg in an outrageous piece of skill.

Salzburg pressed hard for a second goal and got it in the 85th minute when Minamino was successful from 12 yards after Davide Zappacosta sent Zlatko Junuzovic to ground in the area.

Batshuayi fired a fine finish into the roof of the net with two minutes remaining but Minamino bundled in from close range in stoppage time to make the scoreline slightly less emphatic.

Chelsea face Borussia Monchengladbach in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday and then begin their Premier League campaign at Manchester United on August 11.