It was a lucky escape for the Blues this afternoon on the opening day of the new season as they were held 2-2 to Swansea City, at home, and had to spend most of the second half with 10 men following the dismissal of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois
A distinctly lacklustre Chelsea went ahead through Oscar only for Andre Ayew to level. Willian luckily restored the lead before Courtois upended Bafe Gomis, got the red card, conceded the penalty which Gomis dispatched easily past sub stopper Asmir Begovic.
The Blues have now not one in the past six matches including five pre-season outings, a worrying statistic as they prepare to face Manchester City next week at the Etihad.
A brisk start by the Blues who returned Diego Costa to the starting line-up after his alleged hamstring problems. But he first effort on goal came from the visitors on eight minutes, when Bafe Gomis out-jumped Gary Cahill on the six-yard line and glanced a header inches wide of Thibaut Courtois' s left post.
A speculative and nightly ambitious 26-harder by Branislav Ivanovic, two minutes later was greeted with serious by Swansea fans as it arrowed high and wide of Lukasz Fabianski's goal.
The visitors should have ton ahead on 15 minutes when Jonjo Shelvey bisected the Chelsea contreras defence to lay on Gomis. Terry recovered brilliantly and with Coirtois pouncing, prevented a certain opener, with Gary Cahill clearing
Seconds later and Ki Sung-Yueng's blistering strike forced Courtois into a great save.
Then up when Chelsea on a counter-attack with Costa racing into the penalty area. He appeared to be tumbled over by Federico Fernandez, but a replay showed the last-games challenge was legal.
But the Blues inched into the lead on 23 minutes when Oscar curled in from the left, just outside the penalty area, the perfect drive. Both Cahill and Nemanja Matic threw out the legs but neither touched it and the ball zipped past Fabianski and into the net.
The lead was short-lived with Swansea levelling on 29 minutes at the third attempt after Courtois saved brilliantly by Gomis, the ball fell to Andre Ayew whose first effort was stopped by Cahill only to see the Ghana forward recover to blast home.
Chelsea had an incredible piece of luck to take the lead again a minute later when Willian, on the left put in a cross. The ball glanced off the boot of Argentina defender Fernandez and looped over Fabianski and nestled into the far corner of the net.
The was no changes by either side at half-time. But The Swans dominated the early play. The post came to Chelsea's aid when, on 48 minutes, Jefferson Montero sent in the perfect corner, but it bounced off the Courtois's right post.
Chelsea then suffered the indignity of seeing Courtois red-carded for upending Gomis who took advantage of Willian playing him onside. the hit man slotted home the penalty to level the scores as Swansea sought to take even greater advantage of Chelsea's sloppy defending on the right.
Jose Mourinho replaced Oscar for Asmir Begovic.
Begovic, a £8million signing from Stoke City brilliantly tipped over Montero's goal-bound effort.
Swansea thought they took the lead on 67 minutes, but Gomis, who tucked the ball home from close range had inched offside from Montero's cross.
Mourinho had seen enough and parked the bus by bringing on Kurt Zouma for Cesc Fabregas with 15 minutes left. Swans boss Garry Monk countered this move by bringing on forward Eder for Gomis two minutes later.
Radamel Falco entered the fray on 83 minutes for Willian but it did not matter. The Blues clung on for the point - when will they win a match?
Teams: Courtois, Ivanovic, Fabregas, Oscar, Hazard, Costa, Matic, Willian, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta
Subs, Begovic, Zouma, Ramis, Falcao, Mikel, Remy, Moses.
Swansea City, Fabianski, Taylor,Sung-Yueng,Williams, Shelvey, ,Ayew,Go,is, Montero, Sigurdsson,Naughton,Fernandez,
Subs, Nordfeldt, Tabanou, Routlefge, Eder, Rangel, Cork, Bartley
Referee
Michael Oliver
Ends