Chelsea sealed their place in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup with a narrow 2–1 victory over Brazilian giants Palmeiras in Philadelphia, ending the South American club’s unbeaten run in the competition.
The Premier League side struck early, with Cole Palmer opening the scoring in the 16th minute. After a slick first touch to control a pass just inside the box, the 22-year-old forward calmly slotted the ball into the bottom-left corner beyond goalkeeper Weverton.
Palmer had already gone close just four minutes into the match, testing the Palmeiras shot-stopper with a curling effort from distance.
Chelsea continued to apply pressure throughout the first half, nearly doubling their lead when Palmer picked out Christopher Nkunku, who blazed his shot over the bar despite having space in the penalty area.
Palmeiras nearly equalised on the brink of halftime, but Robert Sánchez produced a superb save to deny Vanderlan’s powerful header.
The Brazilian side came out stronger in the second half and found an equaliser through a Chelsea-bound teenager, Estêvão. The 17-year-old winger made his mark with a sensational strike off the underside of the bar, leaving Sánchez with no chance.
Palmeiras pushed for a second and came close when Allan’s driven effort flashed just wide of the far post.
Chelsea, however, found a breakthrough in the 83rd minute. A cross from Malo Gusto took a wicked deflection off Bruno Fuchs, wrong-footing Weverton and rolling agonisingly over the line.
Despite a late scare from Noni Madueke’s strike, which Weverton tipped onto the post, the Blues held firm to progress.
Enzo Maresca’s men will now face Fluminense in the semi-final, another test against Brazilian opposition as they continue their quest for global honours.
Man of the Match: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
