Chelsea have started their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 victory over Perth Glory in Monday's friendly in Australia.

An early goal from Pedro proved to be the difference between the two sides, but new head coach Maurizio Sarri will be pleased with the level of his side's performance in his first game in charge of the Blues.

Despite the absence of a number of players due to their participation at the World Cup, Sarri was still able to name a strong starting lineup which included new arrival Jorginho and the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Alvaro Morata.

However, it was 17-year-old Callum Hudson-Odoi who starred during the opening 45 minutes with the teenager's cross in the fifth minute leading to Pedro netting with a fine volley from eight yards out to put the Blues in front.

The pair continued to offer Chelsea's biggest threat going forward but, as the first half progressed, Fabregas and Ross Barkley started to pull the strings in the middle of the pitch with the former only being denied a goal through a well-timed blocked from Scott Neville.

Pedro should have added a second shortly after the half-hour mark - only to see his shot across the face of goal miss the far corner - and the Spaniard later turned provider for Davide Zappacosta who fired the ball too close to goalkeeper Liam Reddy.

Chelsea made three alterations at the break - with Marcos Alonso, Jorginho and Hudson-Odoi all being withdrawn - but it did not prevent the Premier League side from continuing to set the pace after the restart.

Barkley struck the post with a scuffed effort from distance, before both Fabregas and Zappacosta tried their luck without coming close to beating Reddy.

Perth responded through former Chelsea youngster Fabio Ferreira, who had a shot saved by 18-year-old goalkeeper Marcin Bulka, but it was not long before Chelsea were back on the offensive.

Barkley was denied by the feet of Reddy from an acute angle, while substitute Mario Pasalic came close to making an impact with his curling effort striking the post and rebounding clear.

Reddy was keeping Perth in the contest and a stunning save was made to keep out Pedro's spectacular volley, and Barkley went close again when poking wide of the target from close range.

While Chelsea maintained their threat every time that they had the ball in the Perth half, the home side continued to look for an equaliser in front of a crowd of 55,522 at the newly-built Optus Stadium.

Brendon Santalab twice directed headers off target but the best opportunity came in the final minute of normal time, with Chris Harold's effort being cleared off the line after the ball had been directed over the goalkeeper's head.

Chelsea were fully deserving of their win, however, and the Blues will now return to Europe to take on Inter Milan in Nice at the weekend.

PERTH GLORY: Reddy, Franjic (Chianese 68'), Lowry, Neville, Grant, Ferreira (Juande 78'), Kilkenny (Brimmer 68'), Djulbic (Davidson 68'), Keogh (Santalab 68'), Wilson (Castro 78'), Italiano (Harold 46')

CHELSEA: Bulka; Zappacosta (Aina 74'), David Luiz, Ampadu (Kalas 62'), Alonso (Emerson 46'); Fabregas, Jorginho (Bakayoko 46'), Barkley (Musonda 79'); Hudson-Odoi (Pasalic 46'), Morata (Abraham 62'), Pedro (Piazon 74')