Joao Pedro chose the perfect moment to find his scoring boots again. With Chelsea desperately needing a moment of brilliance, the Brazilian forward stepped up, rifling in the lone goal that sealed a hard-fought 1–0 win over Tottenham on Saturday.
The strike snapped a nine-game goalless run, his first goal since late August. After arriving from Brighton in a £60 million move, fans had been waiting to see Pedro announce himself and this was that moment.
Right from kickoff, the London clash was intense and physical. Spurs pushed aggressively early on, pressing high up the pitch, but Chelsea gradually settled into rhythm. Alejandro Garnacho fired two strong attempts that forced Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario into alert stops.
Tottenham’s afternoon took an unexpected turn when Lucas Bergvall collided with a teammate and suffered a head injury. Medical staff demanded he be taken off for safety reasons, but the frustrated midfielder angrily shoved one of them, prompting manager Thomas Frank to intervene before things escalated further.
Chelsea sensed vulnerability and struck. In the 34th minute, Moises Caicedo refused to back down as he fought Simons and Van de Ven for a loose ball near the penalty area. His persistence paid off—the ball rolled to Joao Pedro, who blasted it into the roof of the net with absolute confidence.
Manager Enzo Maresca punched the air, relief and excitement washing over him.Pedro almost doubled the lead moments later when Malo Gusto teed him up at the edge of the box, but Vicario tipped the effort over the bar.
Tottenham never found their rhythm. Their passing was sloppy and their attacking buildup lacked any edge. Even when Mohammed Kudus forced a decent save just before the break, Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez handled it comfortably.
The mood in the stadium shifted as frustration echoed from the Spurs supporters. Every misplaced pass drew groans. Even with time running down, Tottenham failed to mount a real threat.By full time, the narrative was simple: Chelsea looked composed, Joao Pedro proved decisive, Tottenham offered little.
The win lifts Chelsea into the Premier League’s top four level on points and just behind Tottenham on goal difference.
