Chelsea have booked their spot in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Brazilian giants Palmeiras in Philadelphia. The win not only propels Enzo Maresca’s side deeper into the tournament but also brings an end to Palmeiras’ impressive four-match unbeaten streak in the competition.
The Blues, keen to avoid a repeat of their previous CWC defeat to Brazilian opposition, started with intent. Inside the opening four minutes, Cole Palmer nearly gave Chelsea the lead with a curling effort from outside the box, forcing a smart save from Palmeiras stopper Weverton.
Palmer, however, wouldn’t be denied for long. With 16 minutes on the clock, he displayed composure to slot the ball into the bottom-left corner from just inside the penalty area, capitalizing on a delightful first touch to put Chelsea ahead.
As the first half progressed, Chelsea asserted their dominance, launching wave after wave of attacks. Palmeiras’ defence was tested repeatedly, with the most notable chance falling to Christopher Nkunku after Palmer’s setup, but the Frenchman’s effort sailed well over the bar from a promising position. Verdao, however, had a golden opportunity to level on the stroke of half-time, only for Vanderlan’s header to be brilliantly tipped away by a sublime save from Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez.
The second half saw a rejuvenated Palmeiras emerge, and their improved performance quickly paid dividends. Ironically, it was Chelsea-bound teenager Estevao who found the equalizer with a stunning strike, drilling an emphatic effort in off the bar past a rooted Sanchez shortly after the restart.
Palmeiras continued to grow into the game, threatening to take the lead just after the hour mark when Allan’s strike across goal agonizingly trickled wide of the left post. The tension mounted as the match neared its conclusion, with both sides pushing for a decisive blow.
Chelsea ultimately found a rather fortunate winner with seven minutes remaining. Malo Gusto’s cross took a significant deflection off Bruno Fuchs, wrong-footing Weverton, who could only watch as the ball bobbled over the goalline for what proved to be the winning goal. Despite Weverton pushing a late Noni Madueke strike onto the post, it made little difference to the final outcome.
The victory sees Chelsea advance to the semi-finals, where they will face yet another formidable Brazilian opponent in Fluminense, setting up another intriguing clash in their quest for Club World Cup glory.
