Fabregas sent off as Chelsea edges Liverpool in testy ICC clash

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PASADENA, Calif. — Chelsea’s back line did most of the work in Thursday’s International Champions Cup opener against Liverpool. It even scored the only goal.

Gary Cahill’s early header stood up as Chelsea weathered Liverpool’s attack and a second-half red card to Cesc Fabregas in a contentious 1-0 win at the Rose Bowl.

Seven cards total were issued, including the straight red to Fabregas in the 70th minute for a horrific challenge on Liverpool’s Ragnar Klavan:

Klavan left the match momentarily before returning and appears lucky to not have escaped a more serious injury to his left foot.

“I’m sorry for the Liverpool player,” said new Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.

Five of the cards, however, were shown to Liverpool players, and Fabregas shifted the blame afterward.

“I do think the ref, for us and for them, was giving cards all over the place,” he said, “so that’s why sometimes when you do that as a ref you lose feeling of what’s happening. Because if you give one when it’s 50/50 or 40/60, then the next one you have to give it again … he didn’t have the game under control.”

Chelsea did frustrate Liverpool with terrific team defending. All told, it was an impressive display under Conte, who to the surprise of many guided Italy to the Euro 2016 quarterfinals last month.

It didn’t take long for the Blues to surge into the lead, as Fabregas served up a looping corner that Cahill rose to meet with power and placement:

The next 80 or so minutes saw Liverpool mount several threats with nothing to show for them, despite finishing with 65 percent of the possession.

The best chance might have come in the 35th minute, when Sadio Mane and Ovie Ejaria strung together a pair of one-touch back-heels to spring Roberto Firmino, who tucked his finish into the left side of the net but was judged to be offside. Philippe Coutinho also forced a fine diving stop from Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic in the first half.

Jurgen Klopp’s squad missed striker Daniel Sturridge, who was held out with his fitness in question. It’s also still incorporating new signings Georginio Wijnaldum and Mane, who looked dangerous operating all over the offensive third against Chelsea.

The Blues fielded plenty of regulars in the preseason match, including Cahill, Fabregas, John Terry, Cesar Azpilicueta and Pedro. American defender Matt Miazga did not play, however.

Liverpool, meanwhile, played the likes of Firmino, Coutinho, Dejan Lovren, James Milner, Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson. Lallana came on at halftime for midfielder Marko Grujic, who had an ugly clash of heads with Chelsea’s Bertrand Traore late in the first half.

“Marko Grujic is in the hospital,” Klopp said. “He can’t remember anything.”

Chelsea will continue play in the ICC on Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich., when it faces Real Madrid, and will also play AC Milan on Wednesday in Minneapolis.

Liverpool will next play Milan on Saturday in Santa Clara, Calif., and then Barcelona on Aug. 6 in London.