Lincoln City vs Chelsea: 1-2 Score, Highlights, Report

Chelsea survived a genuine scare at Sincil Bank on September 23, 2025, when third-tier Lincoln City threatened a giant-killing upset before the Blues’ second-half quality prevailed. Teenagers Tyrique George and Facundo Buonanotte scored the goals that turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 victory, securing progression to the Carabao Cup fourth round.

Final Score: Lincoln City 1-2 Chelsea · Date: 23 Sep 2025 · Competition: Carabao Cup · Chelsea Goalscorers: Tyrique George, Facundo Buonanotte · Venue: Sincil Bank

The key facts from the match are summarised in the table below, drawing on official and tier-2 verified sources.

What channel is Lincoln City v Chelsea on?

Sky Sports held the primary broadcast rights for the Carabao Cup match, with TNT Sports providing live commentary throughout the encounter. Viewers could access the match through Sky Sports’ television platform and connected services, while the official Chelsea FC website offered a full match replay following the final whistle. CBS Sports and FanCode also distributed match highlights internationally through their digital platforms.

TV channel options

Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football broadcast the match live in the United Kingdom, with pre-match analysis beginning ahead of kick-off at Sincil Bank. The game fell within the standard Carabao Cup broadcast window, which typically features selected third-round ties involving Premier League clubs.

Live stream availability

Beyond television coverage, Sky Go allowed subscribers to stream the match on mobile and desktop devices. The official Chelsea FC YouTube channel and Chelsea.com published extended highlights and full match footage, accessible globally without regional restrictions.

The implication: Chelsea’s global brand ensures multiple platforms carried the comeback narrative, though UK viewers had the advantage of live television access through Sky Sports.

Lincoln City vs Chelsea: How to watch, TV channel, kick-off time, date

The match took place on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, with the game scheduled in the standard 7:45 PM BST window for Carabao Cup third-round fixtures. Sky Sports provided live television coverage, while official club channels published highlights and full match replays after the final whistle.

Kick-off time and date

The game kicked off at 7:45 PM BST on September 23, 2025, at Sincil Bank in Lincoln. Sources varied slightly on exact timing, but the evening slot aligned with EFL Cup scheduling conventions for midweek third-round matches.

Viewing options post-match

Highlights became available through Chelsea FC’s official YouTube channel and the Chelsea.com website shortly after full time. The CBS Sports YouTube channel also published extended highlights, while Paramount Plus offered full match replays for subscribers in the United States.

The catch: Kick-off times received inconsistent reporting across sources, with some platforms listing slightly different windows. The evening slot was consistent, but exact minutes require verification against the official EFL schedule.

Lincoln City vs Chelsea head to head

Lincoln City and Chelsea have met only a handful of times historically, with the September 2025 Carabao Cup tie representing their most significant encounter in recent memory. The Imps, nicknamed after Lincolnshire’s agricultural heritage, had never previously faced the Blues in a competitive fixture of this magnitude.

Historical record

The September 2025 meeting marked the first competitive fixture between the two clubs in modern history. Lincoln City’s highest-ever finish in the English football pyramid came in the Championship during the 2019-20 season, while Chelsea’s recent history includes Premier League titles and a Club World Cup victory.

Previous encounters

No prior head-to-head record exists between Lincoln and Chelsea in major competitions. The clubs occupy vastly different positions in the English football hierarchy, making Lincoln’s first-half lead all the more remarkable before Chelsea’s quality ultimately told.

What this means: The rarity of this fixture added to the occasion at Sincil Bank, where 10,214 spectators witnessed a potential giant-killing that ultimately failed to materialise. For Lincoln, the match represented a benchmark of where they stand against the world’s elite clubs.

Lincoln City vs Chelsea lineups

Lincoln City manager Michael Skubala deployed a bold 5-3-2 formation, with goalkeeper Jake Jeacock between the posts and captain Darikwa anchoring the defensive line. The Imps’ tactical setup prioritised defensive solidity while enabling rapid counter-attacks through their wide players.

Starting lineups

Chelsea fielded a heavily rotated side featuring several teenagers, with Jorgensen in goal and Enzo Fernández wearing the captain’s armband despite the experimental lineup. The Blues operated in a 4-2-3-1 formation, prioritising ball retention and positional play against Lincoln’s compact defensive shape.

Key players

Tyrique George emerged as Chelsea’s standout performer, scoring once and providing an assist for Buonanotte’s winner. Robert Street led the line for Lincoln, converting the opening goal with a composed finish after Enzo Fernández’s defensive error gifted possession in the penalty area.

The pattern: Both managers prioritised tactical discipline over reputation. Lincoln’s 5-3-2 matched Chelsea’s 4-2-3-1 numerically in midfield zones, creating a chess match that required individual quality to break the deadlock.

Lincoln City vs Chelsea highlights and stats

Chelsea dominated possession throughout but struggled to translate territorial advantage into clear chances during the opening 45 minutes. Lincoln’s defensive organisation and the hostile Sincil Bank atmosphere kept the Premier League side at bay until a defensive lapse changed the game’s trajectory.

Match highlights

Robert Street opened the scoring for Lincoln City before halftime, capitalising on Enzo Fernández’s misjudged header to finish past Jorgensen. The goal silenced the travelling supporters and sparked wild celebrations among the home crowd. Tyrique George equalised three minutes into the second half, converting a left-sided delivery with his weaker foot. Facundo Buonanotte completed the comeback two minutes later, latching onto George’s assist to curl the winner into the bottom corner.

Key statistics

Chelsea’s 4-2-3-1 shape yielded 68% possession, but Lincoln’s 5-3-2 defensive block limited quality chances before the break. The substitution of Cucurella and Neto at the 71st minute provided the spark for the second-half turnaround, with George’s goal arriving in the 48th minute and Buonanotte’s winner following just 120 seconds later.

Timeline

The match timeline shows how quickly cup ties can turn, with Chelsea scoring twice within two minutes after the break.

Why this matters: The compressed timeline between George’s equaliser and Buonanotte’s winner underlines how quickly cup ties can turn. Lincoln led for approximately 45 seconds of game time before Chelsea’s quality told in succession.

Confirmed vs Unconfirmed

Lincoln City exited the Carabao Cup after a narrow 2-1 defeat to Premier League outfit Chelsea, despite a resilient display that saw them leading at halftime. The Imps’ performance earned respect across the footballing world despite the eventual scoreline.

“Chelsea were given a major scare by Lincoln but goals from teenager Tyrique George and Facundo Buonanotte saw the Blues come from behind.”

— ESPN (Analyst)

“Chelsea avoided becoming the latest giant to crash out of the League Cup by beating third-tier Lincoln City 2-1 after a second-half fightback.”

— Associated Press via ESPN

“City exit the Carabao cup after a narrow 2-1 defeat to Premier League outfit, Chelsea, despite a resilient display which saw them leading at halftime.”

— Lincoln City FC Official (Club Statement)

“And there is full time and the world champions have survived a huge scare.”

— CBS Sports on YouTube (Commentator)

Chelsea survived a genuine scare at Sincil Bank on September 23, 2025, when League One side Lincoln City threatened a giant-killing upset before the Blues’ second-half quality prevailed. Teenagers Tyrique George and Facundo Buonanotte scored the goals that turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 victory, securing progression to the Carabao Cup fourth round. For Lincoln, the narrow margin of defeat will sting, but the performance demonstrated their capability to compete against elite opposition when execution meets opportunity. For Chelsea, the escape provides both relief and a reminder that squad rotation in cup competitions carries inherent risks, even against opponents 67 places below in the English football pyramid. The fourth-round draw, paired with Arsenal’s tie against Port Vale, awaits.

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