Super subs stun Chelsea in brilliant Albion fightback

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Danny Welbeck (2) and Maxim De Cuyper come off the bench to seal 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge against ten-man Chelsea.

Bruce Talbot

2025-09-27T16:45+01:00

Maxim De Cuyper roars with delight after making it 2-1 in stoppage time. 📷 James Boardman

A win over Chelsea is always treasured by Albion fans these days but Saturday’s success at Stamford Bridge was extra special.

Albion could have no complaints when they trailed at half-time to Enzo Fernandes’s header, but the momentum swung decisively their way eight minutes into the second half when defender Trevoh Chalobah was sent off for denying Diego Gomez a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Fabian Hurzeler went for his bench and his players sensed their opportunity. Thirteen minutes from time Danny Welbeck equalised with a thumping close-range header – his first goal of the season - but there was more to come from him and his team.

Danny Welbeck heads Albion's equaliser. 📷 James Boardman

Two minutes into added time another substitute Max De Cuyper opened his Albion account with a close-range header. There was still time for Welbeck to make it 3-1 from close range – another substitute Brajan Gruda providing his second stoppage-time assist.

Such a scenario looked unikely at the break as Chelsea had controlled much of the first half and their 24th-minute goal had been coming.

Bart Verbruggen had already made two fine saves to keep out free-kicks from Enzo Fernandes and Reece James while Joel Veltman, booked for an early foul on Pedro Neto, blocked the Portuguese wide man’s shot before Jan Paul van Hecke made an important block from Estevao’s low strike.

Delight for Danny Welbeck after he equalised with his first goal of the season. 📷 James Boardman

But Albion were opened up down their left and James’s cross looped up nicely after taking a heavy deflection for the unmarked Fernandes to head in at the far post.

The visitors responded positively. Yankuba Minteh surged into the box to tee up Yasin Ayari but referee Simon Hooper inadvertently stood in the way, preventing Ayari from shooting. Just before the break Lewis Dunk rose unchallenged to meet Ayari’s free kick but headed well over the top.

Hooper was involved again early in the second half. Initially he waved away Albion appeals when Diego Gomez was brought down in the D by Chalobah but after being sent to the monitor by VAR Darren England he sent off Chalobah for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. Gomez lashed the free kick over, but Albion were back in business.

Yankuba Minteh goes past Moises Caicedo. 📷 James Boardman

Chelsea sat in, looking to counter and inviting Albion to try and break them down. A few minutes after coming on Danny Welbeck thought he’d equalised when his right-foot volley beat Robert Sanchez but flew inches wide of the far post.

But Welbeck didn’t miss a few minutes later. Minteh scorched down the left and his cross was perfect for the striker to attack and bury a close-range header past Sanchez.

Carlos Baleba wins a header against ex-Albion player Marc Cuurrella. 📷 James Boardman

Albion now had the momentum and with two minutes left thought they had a penalty after Malo Gusto’s outstretched boot caught Minteh on the head as he tried to clear. This time though the VAR decided not to change Mr Hooper’s original call, much to the bafflement of the Albion bench.

There were 11 additional minutes and Albion weren’t to be denied as their three subs combined to devastating effect. Gruda’s cross was headed back across goal by Mats Wieffer and De Cuyper made a brilliant move and stooped to head past Sanchez.

Bart Verbruggen comes through traffic to punch clear. 📷 James Boardman

Then with a minute to go Gruda slipped a perfectly-weighted pass into Welbeck’s path and he steadied himself before firing past Sanchez into the top corner. Hurzeler sprinted down the touchline and almost ended up sharing the celebrations in the away end. An afternoon to remember in SW6.

Albion: Verbruggen, Veltman (Wieffer 55) van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Minteh, Ayari, Baleba (Gruda 67), Mitoma (Welbeck 67), Rutter (Tzimas 85), Gomez (De Cuyper 85).