CHELSEA secured their place in the Club World Cup final with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Fluminense, thanks to a brace from new signing Joao Pedro.
The Brazilian striker, making his first start for the Blues, delivered a clinical performance at MetLife Stadium, ensuring his side will face either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday’s final.
Pedro opened the scoring in the 18th minute with a precise finish from the edge of the box, curling the ball beyond Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio. His second came just before the hour mark, capitalising on a counter-attack to fire past the keeper off the crossbar.
The 23-year-old, who joined from Brighton last week for £60 million, chose not to celebrate either goal out of respect for his former club.
Fluminense, the 2023 Copa Libertadores winners, had impressed earlier in the tournament with victories over Inter Milan and Al-Hilal. However, they struggled to contain Chelsea’s attacking threat, with only a disallowed penalty and a near-miss from Hercules offering brief hope.
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca praised his team’s performance, calling it a “fantastic season” with top-four Premier League finish, Conference League success, and now a Club World Cup final. Fluminense boss Renato Portaluppi acknowledged the financial gap between the sides, labelling his team the “ugly duckling” of the competition.
The Blues were without suspended duo Levi Colwill and Liam Delap but welcomed back Moises Caicedo in midfield. Despite Caicedo limping off late, Chelsea’s dominance was clear in front of 70,556 fans in New Jersey. - AFP
