Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian made an immediate impact at Chelsea, scoring on his debut as the Blues secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in a pre-season friendly match.
The highly anticipated 18-year-old talent, who joined Chelsea this summer a year after the club agreed a deal with Palmeiras, opened the scoring in the 18th minute with an impressive volley inside the penalty area.
Fellow summer signing Joao Pedro came off the bench to seal the victory with a clinical finish late in the game, giving new manager Enzo Maresca plenty to be optimistic about ahead of the upcoming season.
This match represents the first of only two pre-season friendlies scheduled for Chelsea before their competitive campaign begins. The Blues will next face Italian giants AC Milan on Sunday at Stamford Bridge in their final warm-up fixture.
Maresca, who took over as Chelsea manager this summer, will be particularly pleased with how quickly his new signings are adapting to his system. The performance against last season's Bundesliga champions and Europa League winners Leverkusen offers encouraging signs for Chelsea supporters.
Estevao's goal will heighten expectations around the Brazilian teenager, who arrives with a reputation as one of world football's most exciting young talents. However, reports suggest Maresca has already cautioned about placing too much pressure on the young star as he adapts to English football.
With the Premier League season fast approaching, Chelsea's preparations appear to be gathering momentum at the perfect time.
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