The third round of the Carabao Cup presented Chelsea with a seemingly straightforward fixture against League One side Lincoln City, yet it quickly unfolded into a perilous encounter that saw the Blues narrowly avert a significant upset. Following recent troubling away defeats to Bayern Munich and Manchester United, the match at Sincil Bank was intended to offer respite and a chance for Enzo Maresca's side to regain confidence. Instead, Chelsea delivered what has been described as their worst 45 minutes under the new manager, struggling profoundly against an in-form Lincoln side that had lost only one of their previous twelve matches across all competitions.

From the outset, Lincoln City asserted dominance, unsettling the Premier League giants. Inside just two minutes, Lewis Montsma rattled the inside of the far post with a fierce strike, signaling the Imps' intent. Chelsea's defence, despite featuring established names like Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah, appeared ragged and ill-equipped to handle Lincoln's bombardment of long throws and looping crosses. Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, handed a rare start and promised opportunities in the Premier League and Champions League by Maresca, endured a shaky first half, misjudging crosses and nearly conceding after a botched attempt to punch clear, requiring a desperate clearance from Fofana.

Much of the pre-match attention had focused on Alejandro Garnacho, making his first start for Chelsea since his high-profile move from Manchester United. However, it proved to be a challenging night for the Argentine winger. He struggled to make an impact, was largely booed and subjected to physical challenges, and despite switching flanks, he was eventually hooked just before the hour mark. He was not alone in his underperformance, as Chelsea managed only one shot in the entire first half, a wayward effort from Jamie Gittens.

The nadir of Chelsea's first-half woes arrived spectacularly. A lethargic short free-kick from Enzo Fernandez on the edge of his own box led to chaos. Ivan Varfolomeev pounced on the pass, nipping ahead of Chalobah, to tee up Rob Street, who coolly slotted home a composed low finish, giving Lincoln a shock 1-0 lead. This defensive blunder compounded Chelsea's frustrations, leaving them needing to solve a problem entirely of their own making as the half-time whistle blew.

Whatever "rocket" Enzo Maresca delivered during the interval clearly had its desired effect. Chelsea emerged for the second half with renewed intensity, and the turnaround was swift and decisive, sparked by two of the team's younger players. Just two minutes into the second half, academy graduate Tyrique George, who had reportedly been close to leaving the club in the summer, rattled in a brilliant equaliser. After Jamie Gittens' ball was poorly cleared by Montsma, George wasted no time, firing a first-time half-volley in off the far post from the edge of the box. Moments later, loanee Facundo Buonanotte, on loan from Brighton, scored his first goal for the club. After receiving a pass from Gittens, Buonanotte wriggled through defenders, exchanged a scruffy one-two with George, and then squeezed past more opposition to stab the ball under goalkeeper Zach Jeacock, putting Chelsea ahead.

Despite taking the lead, Chelsea's defensive frailties remained a concern. Lincoln continued to press with long throws and looped crosses, causing moments of anxiety, though Chelsea eventually managed to hang on and control the pace of the game. The Blues were ultimately relieved to escape Lincolnshire with a victory, highlighting their good fortune after being pushed to the wire by a lower-league side. The administrative error regarding Marc Guiu, whom Chelsea mistakenly believed was cup-tied due to a rule change, inadvertently opened the door for George's stellar performance, underscoring the chaotic nature of Chelsea's evening.

In other Carabao Cup action, last season's runner-ups Liverpool also secured their passage by knocking out Southampton, though the occasion was marred by Hugo Ekitike being sent off for a second bookable offence after celebrating a late winner by removing his shirt. Further matches in the third round are scheduled, with Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Newcastle set to play on Wednesday, promising more Cup drama.