Ten-man Chelsea lost a bruising Community Shield 2-3 to Manchester City at Villa Park this afternoon.
The Londoners, already a goal up, lost right back Branislav Ivanovic three minutes before the break and then suffered the heartache of being blown away by a three-goal salvo from the league champions.
It took the introduction of England young guns Ryan Bertrand and Daniel Sturridge to lift the Chelsea stupor, and Bertrand grabbed a goal to bring the FA cCup holders back into the game.
This defeat comes a week after capitulation at Brighton, and a single victory out of four in their tour of the USA.
Petr Cech produced a fine diving save to his left from a Carlo Tevez 20-yard free-kick on three minutes,
It might be a so-called charity match, but neither side will want to lose to another potential title rival.
The heat was on from the start and Eden Hazard felt the full wrath of Yaya Toure's mouth as the Belgium international dived following a challenge.
The first name in referee Kevin Friend's notebook was Stefan Savic for hacking down Hazard in the middle of the park.
City's quick counter attack on 15 minutes, almost reaped dividends resulting from fine interchanging passes with Carlo Tevez and Samir Nasri. the French midfielder got a shot away, but again, Cech was equal to the task.
A glancing header by Vincent Kompany from a Nasri corner went straight to Cech's midriff snuffing out yet another chance for the league champions.
Chelsea finally got into City' penalty area on 25 minutes when a break saw Ramires force the ball across the edge of the City area, and in-running Frank Lampard slipped a half-volley towards goal.
Costel Pantilimon, in goal for rested Joe Hart, and at 6ft 8 inches tall, made easy work of the save.
A fierce drive by Hazard three minutes later, tested Pantilmon more but the 20-yarder was snatched to safety by the goalkeeper.Chelsea's Brazil midfielder Ramires was next into the book for scything down Nasri on 32 minutes.
With five minutes to go before the break , Chelsea took the lead.
Excellent work by Ramires I. The edge of the City area saw the bal fed to Fernando Torres and the Spain striker finished off the move with aplomb, with a deft left-footed flick past Pantilimon from eight yards out.
But within 60 seconds, the FA Cup holders were reduced to 10 men, when Friend decided that Branislav Ivanovic's sliding challenge on Kolarov was reckless and he issued a straight red card on the Serbian right-back.
Lampard was next in the book for a tackle on James Milner, right in front of the Chelsea dugout, and to a man, the staff jumped u to berate the referee for the decision.
Torres, fresh from his goal, showed a fine turn of pace two minutes after the restart, only a last-gasp tackle by City substitute Gael Clichy prevented the hotman from getting his shot away.
Kompany was next to get a yellow on 48 minutes at he centre-back locked another flighty run by Torres.
City who were unlucky to be behind, equalised on 53 minutes, when a poor, sliced clearance by Chelsea skipper John Terry fell gleefully I to the path of Yaya Toure and the midfielder armed home the ball past Cech's outstretched left and and the ball nestled just inside the left upright.
Carlos Tevez, then had the audacity to put City into the lead six minutes later.With Chelsea defending deep and in disarray, the Argentina striker skipped across the
Chelsea penalty area, first evading the desperate lunge of Luiz and then Terry before arrowing home a sublime right-footer which left Cech rooted to the spot.
For good measure another Chelsea player was yellow-carded as Ashley Cole upended Tevez.
With the accuracy of a metronome, number three duly came on 64 minutes.
Overloading makeshift right-back Ramires, City's Kolarov zipped past the Brazilian and cut back the perfect byline cross to Nasri, who, running into Chelsea's area unfettered tucked away a left foot volley past Cech.
Chelsea boss Robero Di Matteo decided, with 20 minutes to go, that he had sen enough and replaced ineffectual Hazard for Ryan Bertrand.
Daniel Sturridge then entered the fray five minutes later at the expenses of tiring Juan Mata.
City made their second substitution a minute later with David Silva replaced Nasri.Chelsea gained a degree of composure hitherto missing with the introduction of these two and it was not a real surprise that the Blues grabbed a second goal.
Chelsea's latest Full England recruit, Bertrand, 23, was first to react when Sturridge's left-footer, from just outside the City penalty area, was spilled by Pantilimon, and he cooly slotted home.
Tevez left the field with two minutes to go, with Edin Dzeko coming on.Quite how Aguero missed a sitter, with the goal gaping is anyone's guess, but he did.
Chelsea left gaps all over the back, in search of an equaliser and even Cech went upfield when given a corner deep into injury time.
It was to no avail however and the Blues must now regroup ahead of next Sunday's Premier League opener, away to Wigan Athletic.
Teams:
Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Luiz, Cole, Mikel, Lampard, Ramires, Mata, Hazard, Torres.Subs: Turnbull, Merieles, Bertrand, Cahill, Sturridge, Piazon.
Man City: Pantilimon, Zabelata, Kompany, Savic, Kolorov, Milner, Di Jong, Yaya Toure ,, Nasri, Aguero, TevezSubs: Johansen, Clichy, Kolo Toure, Silva, Johnson, Razak, DzekoRef: Kevin Friend