Arsenal won the Community Shield on penalties after Thibaut Courtois and Alvaro Morata missed in the shootout.
Gunners new boy Sead Kolasinac had struck late to take the seasonal curtain-raiser to spot-kicks after Victor Moses had looked set to gain revenge for 10-man Chelsea ’s FA Cup Final defeat in May
The Nigeria wing-back, sent off three months ago, rammed the ball home a minute into the second half after Arsenal failed to clear a corner.
But Kolasinac, signed on a free transfer from Schalke, headed home with eight minutes left after Pedro was sent off for a foul on Mohamed Elneny.
With no extra-time, and the new ABBA penalty format in place, Olivier Giroud scored the winning spot-kick.
Arsene Wenger’s Gunners had earlier started impressively, with Alex Iwobi twice opening up the defending champions. New £44million striker Alexandre Lacazette also hit the post in the first half.
Midfielder Granit Xhaka forced a superb save from Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois deep into the second half.
Wenger, meanwhile, was forced to take off defender Per Mertesacker after just 32 minutes. The German was left clutching a bloodied face following a clash with Gary Cahill as both players went to head the ball.
Here are five things we learned from Wembley...
1. Bare Bones
Antonio Conte might be complaining about being down to the bare bones at Chelsea but it will still take some doing to break those bones over the coming seasobn. Kante in midfield was once again sublime. Willian caused problems all day and the Blues backline held firm.
Michy Batshuayi pressed, harried and tracked back, well aware that £65million Alvaro Morata, starting on the bench, is the man set to become Diego Costa’s successor. Conte quite clearly does need more quality during this final few weeks of the transfer window. But the defending champions, even with all their departures, are still a force to be reckoned with.
2. Same old Conte
He made it clear during Chelsea’s trip to the Far East that he would be trying to calm down a bit this season. It didn’t last too long here. He was on his feet throughout the first half, cajoling his players, directing the play and micro-managing their movement.
Late in the first half he put a flea in the ear of his defenders, urging them to wake up after being opened up by Alex Iwobi and Kolasinac. Don’t believe a word of Conte’s claims that he will be taking it down a notch over the next ten months. If anything he will be moving up a gear.
3. Arsenal's attitude
They started fast with a point to prove after being humbled 3-0 in Beijing. Read nothing into that particular game. It flattered Chelsea who were subsequently beaten twice in Singapore by Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. Arsenal were much better here. Iwobi twice danced through the Blues defence.
Kolasinac surged deep into enemy territory with a fearless run and Lacazette - their £44million record signing - curled an effort against the post. A minute into the second half, they failed to clear a corner and Moses put Chelsea ahead. But Kolasinac showed a never-say-die attitude that Arsene Wenger and the club’s fans would hope will last the season.
4. Ox the wing-back
He wants more regular first-team football and he started the match here - but at wing-back? No wonder he could yet leave with just a year left on his contract. He wants to play in his favoured central midfield position.
You get the sense that Wenger has stuck him in at left wing-back to appease him, to keep him in the team. Now the master of his own destiny, Oxlade-Chamberlain is very likely to leave in search of a club able to field him in his best position.
5. Harsh on Willian
Referee Bobby Madley gave him a yellow card but the Chelsea winger was unlucky to be booked. Hector Bellerin definitely caught him with his knee, causing the Brazilian to kick his own leg and go down. Madley might not have deemed it a penalty but it most certainly was not simulation.