Chelsea secured a place in the Club World Cup final with a commanding 2-0 victory over Brazilian side Fluminense on Tuesday, thanks to a brace from new signing Joao Pedro.
The 23-year-old Brazilian striker, who recently joined from Brighton in a £60 million deal, made an instant impact in his first start for the club at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. He opened the scoring in the 18th minute and added a second just before the hour mark to send the Blues into Sunday’s final, where they will face either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain.
Joao Pedro, who began his career at Fluminense, chose not to celebrate either goal out of respect for his former club. He had only just returned from holiday to join Chelsea’s campaign and made his debut as a substitute in the quarter-final win over Palmeiras. With striker Liam Delap suspended, Pedro led the line and delivered a performance that lived up to his hefty price tag.
Despite Fluminense’s spirited run, which included a draw against Borussia Dortmund, a win over Inter Milan, and a quarter-final triumph against Al-Hilal, their fairytale journey ended against a dominant Chelsea side. The loss also ends South America’s hopes of winning the inaugural 32-team format of the Club World Cup.
Fluminense coach Renato Portaluppi had described his team as the “ugly duckling” of the tournament, given their modest budget compared to the other semifinalists. Captained by 40-year-old ex-Chelsea defender Thiago Silva, the Brazilian side gave a respectable showing but couldn’t match Chelsea’s firepower.
Chelsea, managed by Enzo Maresca, were without suspended duo Levi Colwill and Delap, but welcomed the return of midfield anchor Moises Caicedo, who missed the previous game due to suspension.
The Premier League side dominated in front of 70,556 fans in sweltering conditions near New York City. Joao Pedro’s opener came after a loose clearance by Thiago Silva, which he expertly controlled and curled past Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio. His second came on the counterattack, finishing off a sharp pass from Enzo Fernandez with a precise shot that clipped the underside of the crossbar.
Fluminense had a few bright moments, most notably in the 25th minute when Hercules nearly leveled the score with a chip over Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez, only for Marc Cucurella to clear off the line. They were also denied a penalty before halftime after VAR overturned a handball decision against Trevoh Chalobah.
Although Chelsea could have added more goals in the closing stages, Joao Pedro’s double was enough to secure their second win over Brazilian opposition in the tournament and a place in the final against another European giant.
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