Chelsea earned their spot in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals. They beat Abel Ferreira’s Palmeiras by a score of 2-1. Now, Chelsea will face another Brazilian team, Fluminense, in the next round. It was a tough match, full of drama right until the end.
Before the game even began, a special moment captured everyone’s attention. Pedro Neto took the field. He honored two other players, Diogo Jota and André Silva, with a heartfelt gesture. Neto wore a jersey with their names draped over his shoulder. Both teams also showed a sign of respect by wearing black smoke patches on their sleeves.
Chelsea started strong, showing their game plan early. They put Palmeiras under heavy pressure. Just four minutes in, Palmer fired a powerful shot. Palmeiras’ goalkeeper, Weverton, had to stretch to push it out for a corner kick. Then, at the 16-minute mark, the English player found the net. He struck the ball from outside the penalty area, placing it perfectly to give Chelsea a 1-0 lead. Palmeiras struggled to find their rhythm in the first half.
Palmeiras finally woke up after halftime. In the 53rd minute, they found their equalizer. Willian Estêvão scored the goal. This was a unique moment, as Estêvão is actually a player Chelsea has already bought. He hit a fantastic shot from a very tight angle, making the score 1-1 against his future club.
The winning goal for Chelsea came late, in the 83rd minute. Malo Gusto sent a low cross into the box. Goalkeeper Weverton tried to clear it. But he accidentally knocked the ball into his own net. This unfortunate own goal sealed the 2-1 victory for Chelsea. In the final moments of the game, Dário Essugo also entered the match. It was a hard-fought battle, but Chelsea managed to secure their place in the next round.