Brentford 2-2 Chelsea: Axel Disasi scores late equaliser for Blues

Axel Disasi scored a late header to rescue a point for Chelsea at Brentford in the Premier League.

Yoane Wissa scored a sensational acrobatic volley to put Brentford 2-1 in front, but they could not hold on for the three points.

Sergio Reguilon’s cross into the box was headed away before Frank Onyeka flicked the ball up and Wissa contorted his body to finish superbly.

Nicolas Jackson had earlier opened the scoring for the away side in the first half before Mads Roerslev equalised soon after the break.

Chelsea dominated the opening 45 minutes, with Jackson heavily involved.

The Senegalese forward was denied a tap-in thanks to Roerslev’s interception of Enzo Fernandez’s pass.

Jackson then went round Flekken after latching on to Fernandez’s through ball, but his weak shot was cleared with ease by Mathias Jorgensen.

He eventually found the net five minutes later, rising highest to bury a header from Malo Gusto’s pinpoint cross for his first league goal since mid December.

Birthday blues for Pochettino

On his 52nd birthday, Mauricio Pochettino was left disappointed by his inefficient Chelsea side.

The Blues came from behind to beat Leeds in the FA Cup and reach the quarter-finals in midweek.

Following that morale-boosting win, they made it three unbeaten matches on the road in the Premier League with this result but could have come away with three points.

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, manager Pochettino said: “It was tough for us, we had the chances to score and lead the game and then when we conceded the second, I think we showed character.

“Three games in six days was tough and not too many changes. The team deserved more but unluckily we did not get the three points.

“Disappointed that we didn’t get the three points but in some points pleased because after the sixth day and the third game, I think the effort was massive. Overall we deserved the three points.”

Chelsea had 73.3% of possession over the opening 15 minutes as they controlled proceeding but failed to make it count, with shots off target from Fernandez and Disasi.

Eleven of their 17 shots in the match failed to find the target, with Cole Palmer guilty of missing a promising opportunity when he sent a first-time finish wide of the goal.

A Chelsea fan was seen holding up a damning sign at full-time which read: “I don’t want your shirt!! I want you to fight for ours.”

The Blues remain in the bottom half of the table, two points behind 10th-placed Wolves.

Porous Brentford punished again

This was another frustrating afternoon for Thomas Frank’s home side who came from behind to lead but conceded late to miss out on what would have been a valuable win.

The Bees have conceded 50 goals in their 27 league games so far this season, already four more than they shipped in 38 matches during the 2022-23 campaign.

Brentford have lost 28 points from winning positions in the league this season, more than any other team.

Frank will be dismayed by the way Brentford failed to close this out. They were in control after Wissa’s superb finish, but the needless concession of a corner from Flekken gifted Chelsea a route back into the game.

“We would have loved three points and I think we performed to get three points. If we don’t concede on that corner then I’m convinced we would have won the game,” Frank told BBC Match of the Day.

“This was a Brentford performance, an identity I’m very proud of and I’m very proud when we play like this. With initiative, intensity, aggressive, we pressed high, we go after it; I was very, very pleased.”

After a sub-par first 45 minutes, the Bees were much improved in the second half with Roerslev darting in front of Disasi to finish from close range after Reguilon’s shot was blocked.

Wissa struck in the 69th minute but Brentford were then punished for a lapse in concentration, meaning they have now failed to win in their last four league games.

The Bees sit 15th in the table, just six points above the relegation zone, and face a daunting trip to free-scoring Arsenal next Saturday (17:30 KO).