Joao Pedro made Premier League history by scoring after only 31 seconds for Chelsea against Fulham on the opening day of the new season.
The forward opened the scoring in Chelsea’s away match at Fulham, producing the fastest goal ever recorded on the first day of a Premier League campaign.
It took Joao Pedro just over half a minute to put Chelsea ahead, establishing a new opening-day record at the start of the season. His goal came earlier than any previous effort in the competition’s history on the opening weekend.
The previous record had stood since the 2017/18 season, when Lacazette scored after 94 seconds for Arsenal against Leicester City. That goal came on Lacazette’s Premier League debut for Arsenal.
Joao Pedro’s finish therefore moved the benchmark forward by more than a minute, with Chelsea’s attacker scoring before the match had reached its first full minute. The early strike also gave Chelsea the advantage in their London meeting with Fulham.
The goal was scored in the opening stages of Chelsea’s away fixture, with Joao Pedro’s name entering the Premier League record books immediately on the first day of the new campaign. The timing of the goal was confirmed as 31 seconds, making it the quickest opening-day goal since the league was formed.
Lacazette’s previous mark of 94 seconds had been the standard since Arsenal’s match against Leicester City in 2017/18. His goal was also notable because it came during his Premier League debut for Arsenal, but Joao Pedro’s effort has now set a new record for the competition’s opening day.
Chelsea’s match against Fulham was the setting for the record-breaking moment, with Joao Pedro’s goal providing the first breakthrough of the contest. No other details of the match are included in the report beyond Chelsea taking the lead through the 31-second strike.
The result means the opening day of the new Premier League season has begun with a new record for the fastest goal. Joao Pedro’s early finish replaces Lacazette’s 94-second effort as the quickest opening-day goal in Premier League history.
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