The youngster decided a hard-fought contest after the teams shared four goals in the first half. The Italian champions twice went ahead, both fine finishes from the edge of the box, and we twice hit back. Guro Reiten netted our first after combining well with Fran Kirby, and Lauren James picked up from where she left off at the World Cup with a stunning long-ranger that kissed the bar on its way in.

Against opposition whose league campaign begins in less than a fortnight, and with several changes made by both managers, the Blues had the better of the second period and deservedly won it in the third minute of stoppage time, Beever-Jones cutely volleying in Jessie Fleming’s cross.

Emma Hayes, who handed debut minutes in blue to Mia Fishel, Ashley Lawrence and Sjoeke Nusken, will have been delighted with the cohesiveness shown by her players in their first outing of 2023/24, and on a warm evening in Kingston.

In what was a sign of things to come, James fired just wide inside 90 seconds. The chances kept coming at both ends during an open and entertaining first half.

It was our visitors who struck first in the seventh minute. A cross reached Emilie Bosshard Haavi and the Norwegian volleyed a superb, controlled finish from the edge of the box.

Back on terms

The Blues were playing some lovely stuff of our own in the final third and not long after Fishel had her first sight of goal in Chelsea blue, heading wide, we levelled the scores. Kirby intelligently teed up Reiten and she matched her compatriot by emphatically finding the bottom corner.

However, Roma retook the lead on the half-hour when Valentina Giacinti curled into the top corner from 20 yards out.

Lauren magic

In response, James drove at the heart of Roma backline and, from at least 25 yards out, whipped a dipping strike over Camelia Caesar and in off the underside of the crossbar. In a half of high-quality goals, this was the pick of the bunch.

It was Roma who came closest to scoring a fifth goal before the break, Benedetta Glionna’s low shot deflected just past the post in added time. 2-2 felt a fair reflection of an engrossing first 45 minutes of pre-season.

The chances kept coming when the action resumed, Hayes having made a quintet of changes, including first action in blue for Nusken.

Roma sub Evelyne Viens dragged a good opportunity wide at one end, and down the other Kirby hit the feet of the keeper and tested her again shortly afterwards with a rasping low effort.

VAR intervention

Midway through the half, Chelsea were awarded a penalty for a handball blocking Jessie Fleming’s shot. However, with VAR being trialled for the first time in this country at a women’s stadium, replays showed the offence took place outside the box. Jelena Cankovic’s free-kick hit the wall.

Fleming shot wide and Roma too went close on a couple of occasions before we grabbed the winner in the 93rd minute. A corner was played short to Fleming who picked out Aggie Beever-Jones with her first-time cross. The 20-year-old helped it into the far corner, showcasing immaculate technique and perfect placement from six yards out.

A VAR check confirmed the youngster was onside and a great game had the finale it deserved.

What’s next?

Hayes and her players fly to Portugal on Tuesday for a pre-season training camp.

We then begin the defence of our WSL crown with a highly anticipated London derby against Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Sunday 1 October, with kick-off at 5.30pm (UK time). Click here to view our ticket bundles and find out how to secure your seats for 2023/24!

Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Musovic (Berger h/t); Mjelde (c) (Perisset h/t), Buchanan, Nouwen (Claypole 77); Lawrence (Beever-Jones 64), Leupolz (Fleming h/t), Ingle, Reiten (Nusken h/t); James (Cankovic h/t); Kirby (Akpan 77), Fishel (Brown 64)
Scorers Reiten 25, James 37, Beever-Jones 90+3

Roma (4-3-3): Ceasar (Korpela h/t); Bartoli (c) (Aigbogun h/t), Linari, Minami (Valdezate 83), Di Guglielmo; Feiersinger (Greggi h/t), Kumagai, Giugliano (Kramzar 66); Glionna (Viens h/t), Giacinti (Latorre 66), Haavi (Serturini 77)
Unused sub Tomaselli
Scorers Haavi 7, Giacinti 30