Chelsea defeats Leeds United after second-half comeback in League Cup

Chelsea advanced in the League Cup following a 6-3 victory over Leeds United at Stamford Bridge on September 9, 2026. Despite the result, manager Xabi Alonso voiced concern regarding his team's initial performance after they entered halftime trailing 1-0 and conceded a second goal shortly after the restart. Alonso initiated a quadruple substitution at the break, introducing Jamie Gittens, Malo Gusto, Estêvão, and Reggie Watson to change the momentum. The tactical adjustment fueled a six-goal effort that secured the win, though the manager noted the significant disparity in performance between the two halves. Alonso stated he takes responsibility for the difficulties experienced by the fringe players during the match and plans to analyze how to better prepare the squad for future rotations throughout the season.

• 9:01 AMYahoo Sports — Xabi Alonso concerned with first-half performance despite six-goal second half
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