Chelsea 2 Real Sociedad 0

Last updated : 13 August 2014 By Paul Lagan

Diego Costa blasted two goals on his Stamford Bridge debut for the Blues as they saw off an average Real Sociedad 2-0 tonight.

Costa has started to repay some of the £32million he cost after signing from Atletico madrid in the summer by slotting cooly home with his right foot after just 57 seconds.
While it took Fernando Torres three months and 25 days before notching up his first home goal against West Ham United, Costa's first minute strike will have sent ripples of trepidation though the heart of the £50million frontman.
Brazil-born but Spanish national, Costa received the ball from Ramires and, after skipping past the Spanish rearguard, cut the ball across the body of goalkeeper Enaut Zubikarai from just inside the penalty area and into the net, to the delight of the near sell-out crowd.
Ramires should have doubled the lead a minute later but somehow screwed a free shot on goal wide.
Costa then hit his second of the night and fourth in pre-season on seven minutes when he was Johnny on the spot to tuck home the ball into the net after watching Andre Schurrle's right-footed curler rebound off Zubikarai's left post.
Sociedad were forced into an early substitution when Jon Ansotogi limped off to be replaced by Mikel Gonzalez on 11 minutes.
Sociedad decided to have an attack on 19 minutes and Thibaut Courtois was suitably worried by the right-footed curler by Ex-QPR man Estaban Granaro. But ultimately the ball faded wide of his goal.
Eden Hazard forced a smart, diving save from Zubikarai 11 minutes from the break, while up at the other end a minute later, a speculative 25-yard effort by Gonzalez saw Courtois smother the ball to safety.
The second half saw Jose Mourinho replace four players, Cahill, Ramires, Schurrle and Ake, with Cesar Azpilicueta, Mohamed Salah, Oscar and Filipe Luis respectively.
The visitors opted to retain the the side that finished the half.
Fernando Torres entered the fray on 61 minutes, replacing Costa.
A flurry of Sociedad substitutes followed but the next chance of the game fell to Torres, who, on 72 minutes got his head to a deep Luis cross, but he failed to direct
the ball towards goal, from close range, instead heading over the crossbar.
With Torres then getting the ball taken off him, Sociadad produced a fine count attack leaving Chori Castro free to run on goal. His left-footed drive was well held by Courtois.
With two minutes remaining some sublime passing by the Blues saw Oscar on the edge of the penalty area and he blasted the ball towards goal, Zubikari produced a superb reaction save to thwart the Brazil midfielder.
It was a suitable work-out for the Blues who now have six days to get themselves in the corct frame of mind for the Premier League opener, on Monday away to new boys Burnley.

Teams: Chelsea, Courtois, Ivanovoc, Fabregas, Ake, Ramies, Hazard, Schurrle, Costa, Matic, Cahill, Terry
Subs, Cech, Schwarzer, Luis, Zouma, Torres, Oscar, Mikel, Van Ginkel, Salah, Moses, Willian, Azpilicueta, Christernsen

Real Sociedad: Zubikarai, Bergara, Martinez, Agirretxe, Preito, Parda, ansotegi, Zaldua, De la Bella, Granero
Subs, Rulli, Bardaji, Martinez, Gonzalez, Elustondo, Castro, Berchiche, Estrada, Pablo, Hernandez, Oyarzun


Referee: Craig Pawson