Albion were narrowly beaten 4-3 in their opening Premier League Summer Series match against Chelsea.
Despite this being our first outing of pre-season, the game provided more than adequate entertainment for the 65,128 fans watching at the Lincoln Financial Field Stadium, on TV back at home and online around the world.
Danny Welbeck had us in front after just 13 minutes when Kaoru Mitoma nodded down Billy Gilmour’s cross, with the former Manchester United and Arsenal forward thumping home from six-yards.
He could have had a second just two minutes later when he acrobatically met Adam Lallana’s pullback, but it flew straight into Kepa’s arms.
That save would prove to be the platform for Chelsea to get back into the game as they equalised after 19 minutes. Carney Chukwuemeka saw his shot deflected into the path of Christopher Nkunku who smartly flicked the ball into the bottom right corner from close range.
Solly March had a low effort comfortably saved by Kepa before Ian Maatsen couldn’t quite guide his flicked effort at goal.
Welbeck was denied just before the half-time whistle, with our evening then appearing to unravel in the second half.
Jan Paul van Hecke was given his marching orders after an hour for a second bookable offence when he went flying into Cesare Casadei and a quickfire Chelsea treble seemed to put the game out of reach.
Mykhailo Mudryk’s emphatic half volley put the Blues in the lead for the first time on the night, before Conor Gallagher slotted home from close range.
Nicolas Jackson ran through on goal and curled home expertly to make it 4-1, before Joao Pedro was brought down by Levi Colwill for a penalty.
Our new signing made no mistake from the spot, slotting it into the bottom right corner, beyond the reach of Kepa who had dived the right way.
It felt like nothing more than an added consolation, but Deniz Undav burying a third for us after spinning away from Marc Cucurella in the 89th minute meant the comeback was on.
Unfortunately that didn't materialise, but for an opening game of pre-season, this certainly proved to be a good test for Roberto De Zerbi's men.
Albion: Steele (Verbruggen 46), Hinshelwood (Samuels 66), van Hecke, Webster (Alzate 53), Gross (Weir 66), March (Adingra 46), Dahoud (Veltman 46), Gilmour (Ayari 53), Mitoma (Enciso 53), Lallana (Undav 46), Welbeck (Pedro 53).