Kurt Zouma stepped up his recovery from the horrific knee injury that kept him sidelined for seven months as he completed Chelsea’s Checkatrade Trophy match with Oxford United - which was decided by an epic penalty shoot-out of some 34 kicks.
The 22-year-old French defender remains on course to return to Antonio Conte’s plans after the international break after he came through a third reserve fixture unscathed in the past fortnight.
It leaves Chelsea optimistic that Zouma could be available for their Premier League visit to Middlesbrough on November 20, his first outing since damaging his anterior cruciate ligaments in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United on February 7.