The Southern Tigers, who dropped just two points on their way to the title last season, opened the scoring in the 14th minute as Arif Aiman finished from close range. Our response came soon before the interval, as Delap won and converted a penalty.

Our No9 repeated the trick in the second period after Jamie Gittens had been brought down. On both occasions, Delap powered spot-kicks into the bottom corner.

JDT pulled level via a deflected free-kick from Oscar Arribas and thought they had won the game with four minutes to play when Bergson found the net. However, there was time for the Blues to respond as an own goal from Cristian Glauder meant the game ended as a draw.

All change

Given the Blues were in action 24 hours prior against AC Milan, Xabi Alonso, as expected, named an entirely new starting XI – and even that was changed late on, with Mamadou Sarr having to be replaced.

Teddy Sharman-Lowe was in goal, while the back three consisted of Olutayo Subuloye, Tosin Adarabioyo and Aaron Anselmino. Geovany Quenda and Gittens were out wide, Dario Essugo captained the Blues in midfield alongside Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, with Estevao Willian, Nicolas Jackson and Delap in attack.

Despite the unfamiliarity of the side, we started the game well. Jackson fired over in the opening exchanges before the Senegal international fashioned an opportunity for Delap to test goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi, who reacted well to save.

Esteavo was next to create an opening as, after receiving a pass from Essugo, be broke toward the JDT penalty area and fed Jackson. The striker cut inside onto his right foot and forced Hazmi into a save. The rebound fell to Estevao, who couldn't steer his attempt on target.

Caught out

From the restart, the home side broke the deadlock. After building possession through midfield – with a slight element of fortune – Marcos Guilherme broke clear down the left and squared the ball across the box for Aiman to finish.

Shahab Zahedi and Arribas then had opportunities for the home side, who played with greater confidence having gone ahead.

We were forced into a change midway through the half, as Anselmino had to be replaced due to an injury, 16-year-old Reggie Watson introduced and going into the back line.

Drawing level

With five minutes of the half to play, we drew level. There appeared little danger when Tosin cleared the ball back toward the JDT goal, but defender Kevin Medina engaged in a battle with Delap, which ended in him hauling the Blues' No9 to the ground.

Estevao collected the ball and handed it to Delap, who stepped up and confidently converted his spot-kick.

In the time that remained before the break, we twice came close. Watson drilled an attempt over following a corner and, in the final action of the half, Jackson played a wonderful outside-of-the-boot pass, which put Delap in on goal. However, the striker's attempt narrowly bobbled wide of the post.

Alonso made a single change at the interval, as Gaga Slonina replaced Sharman-Lowe in goal. The USA international was immediately into the action as a fortunate deflection put Shahab Zahedi through, but he couldn't beat the 22-year-old, who produced a fine stop.

There was an edge to the game throughout, with several strong challenges produced by the current Malaysian champions. They were rarely well received.

Going ahead

Yet it was a tamer challenge just after the hour that resulted in our second penalty of the evening. Gittens, on this occasion, was the player felled as, having had a shot blocked, he tried to navigate his way beyond Arribas, who brought the Blues winger down.

Delap stepped up once again and, for the second time, fired confidently into the corner to give the Blues the lead.

However, our advantage lasted just three minutes. Arribas made up for his concession of the penalty by whipping a free-kick toward goal that deflected off Delap, wrong-footed Slonina, and ended in our net.

Late drama

We created chances in the time that remained, Essugo having an attempt halted and Gittens a shot saved.

However, with four minutes to play, JDT grabbed their third goal of the game. Brazilian forward Bergson, who topped their scoring chart last season with 27 goals, was given too much room to measure a shot and his 20-yard attempt found the corner.

Alonso introduced Mykhailo Mudryk and Dastan Satpayev after the Blues had fallen behind, and the former fashioned a quick equaliser for the Blues.

Given space to cross, Mudryk delivered a ball toward Delap that the striker couldn't reach, but it struck Glauder and ended in the net. It meant the contest finished as a draw.

What comes next...

The Blues travel back to the UK tonight and will then get back to work at Cobham. Our final pre-season fixture takes place on Saturday 15 August at Stamford Bridge, as we welcome Real Sociedad to west London. You can buy tickets now!

The teams

Chelsea: Sharman-Lowe; Subuloye, Tosin, Anselmino (Watson 29); Quenda, Nicoll-Jazuli, Essugo (c), Gittens (Mudryk 87); Estevao, Delap, Jackson (Satpayev 87)
Unused subs: Curd, Diakite, Walsh, Kavuma-McQueen
Scorers: Delap pen 40, pen 62, Glauder og 89
Booked: Delap 45, Estevao 54, Jackson 66, Quenda 75, Watson 90+2

Johor Darul Ta'zim: Hazmi, Arribas, Silva (Corbin-Ong 89), Glauder, Medina, Israfilov (Akapo 82), Petrovic, Mendez (Nene 79) , Zahedi (Stoichkov 65), Aiman, Guilherme (Bergson 78)
Unused subs: Davies, Lowry, Abad, Wilkin, Hidalgo, Leiva, Sumareah
Scorers: Aiman 14, Arribas 65, Bergson 86
Booked: Israfilov 44, Silva 52, Glauder 68

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