Mark Schwarzer’s Chelsea career has got off to the best possible start, with the recently signed goalkeeper managing to keep a clean sheet in the first half of the Blues 4-1 win over a Malaysia XI.
Mark Schwarzer-s Chelsea career has got off to the best possible start, with the recently signed goalkeeper managing to keep a clean sheet in the first half of the Blues 4-1 win over a Malaysia XI.
In what was the London side's second match of their pre-season tour, Schwarzer was handed his starting debut by manager Jose Mourinho. The Socceroos goalkeeper considered to have done enough glovework with his new teammates after being a late addition to their pre-season tour.
Chelsea grabbed an early lead against their Malaysian opponents when youngster Bertrand Traore fired home inside six minutes. Kevin De Bruyne doubling their advantage on the half-hour mark with a powerful strike.
Schwarzer's first foray into the game was to collect an overhit cross, his goalkick leading to an attack which eventually saw Traore force a save from the Malaysia goalkeeper.
Romelu Lukaku added a third for the visitors just before half-time which brought a raucous reaction from the crowd inside the Shah Alam Stadium on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.
Schwarzer was replaced at half time by Chelsea-s incumbent No.1 Peter Cech. The Blues adding a fourth goal through Victor Moses in the second half before the home side managed a late consolation.
In the lead up to the match, Schwarzer reiterated his pledge he would not be content to sit on the bench this season and was planning on giving genuine competition for the first-choice goalkeeping spot at Stamford Bridge.
"When I signed for Chelsea, I knew they had top quality goalkeepers, and the competition for a starting place would be tough.
"But with hard work and good performances, I can show that I am good enough to play in the first XI," he said.
Schwarzer-s one-year contract with the Blues will see him through to next year-s World Cup campaign in Brazil. With competition for his national jersey coming from the likes of Eugene Galekovic, who was outstanding for the Socceroos against Korea Republic on the weekend, the forty-year-old knows he can take nothing for granted this season.
However Schwarzer seems up for the challenge and determined to add to his 504 Premier League appearances and 108 national caps.
"If you asked me five years ago if I would see myself here today, I would've said no. But what I have learned from that is you never say never, anything is possible.”