Chelsea Lost To Charlotte FC Thanks To Conor Gallagher's Awful Penalty

Chelsea were beaten in a pre season friendly against Charlotte FC, thanks to Conor Gallagher's quite frankly awful penalty.

The Premier League side's preparation for the upcoming campaign continued on Wednesday night in America, as they took on MLS side Charlotte.

For whatever reason the game was to be decided on a penalty shoot out if the two sides were level after 90 minutes, and that's exactly what happened.

Kai Havertz and Ben Chilwell both converted their spot kicks, after the home side's first two takers had scored, and then it was Gallagher's turn, after Anton Walkes had made it 3-2.

The midfielder, who was on loan at Crystal Palace last season, impressed in the team's first pre season game against Club America but his spot kick was not in keeping with his form.

Gallagher possibly attempted a Panenka, or it was something else, but whatever it was, it just went lightly straight into the keeper's hands, who just had to calmly drop to his knees in the middle of the goal.

With the Americans, who have only been playing in MLS since the beginning of this year, scoring their next two attempts, it didn't matter that Raheem Sterling scored his spot kick as Charlotte won the shoot out.

It was Sterling's first appearance in a Chelsea shirt, coming off the bench at half time for 'soccer's LeBron James,' Christian Pulisic, as Thomas Tuchel rang the changes and completely replaced the 10 outfield players.

Despite the penalty loss, and the fact their opponents had equalised with the last kick of the game, Tuchel was at least impressed with Sterling.

Asked if the front three of the former City star, Havertz and Mason Mount, which finished the match, would be his front three for the league, the German said, "I didn't see it today.

"So, it doesn't matter what I have in my mind. All that matters what we see on the pitch. And I saw four accelerations in the second half, and they all came from Raheem. This is what he delivers."

Timo Werner missed out on the Charlotte game with an injury, with Michy Batshuayi, another player back from a loan spell, starting up front.

Werner has recently claimed he could move away from Chelsea, with a place in Germany's World Cup squad for November on his mind.

After being told of the former RB Leipzig striker's potential plans, the manager said, "There's no need for major doubts and for huge criticism.

"It's never important what a manager has in his head before preseason. Whatever. It's reality that counts, and every day in training and matches like these count. From there we go."

Next up for the Blues is a match with Arsenal in the Florida Cup, on Sunday, and if it goes to penalties there's one young English midfielder who might not be asked to step up this time...