July 09, (THEWILL) — Chelsea booked their place in the FIFA Club World Cup final following a convincing 2-0 victory over Fluminense at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday evening. The Blues’ new signing, Joao Pedro, marked his debut with both goals in a performance that justified manager Enzo Maresca’s decision to hand him his first start. Pedro’s brace puts Chelsea one step away from claiming the revamped tournament’s inaugural crown.
The Brazilian striker opened the scoring in the 17th minute after receiving the ball from Pedro Neto at the edge of the penalty area. Pedro curled a precise left-footed effort into the far corner, leaving Fluminense goalkeeper, Fabio, with no chance. The goal came against the run of play, with the Brazilian side having created the better chances in the opening exchanges before Pedro’s clinical finish changed the momentum.
Fluminense responded immediately and nearly found an equaliser when Marc Cucurella produced a crucial goal-line clearance to deny the visitors after Robert Sanchez had been beaten. The first half drama continued in the 36th minute when referee initially awarded Fluminense a penalty for handball against Trevoh Chalobah, only for VAR to overturn the decision after determining the defender’s arm was in a natural position.
Pedro doubled Chelsea’s advantage early in the second half with another composed finish. Enzo Fernández played the striker through on goal during a quick counter-attack, and Pedro’s powerful shot struck the underside of the crossbar before crossing the line. The 25-year-old notably refused to celebrate either goal against his former club, demonstrating respect for his Brazilian roots whilst delivering when his new team needed him most.
Chelsea controlled the remainder of the match despite both teams making tactical adjustments in the second period. The victory puts Maresca’s side into Sunday’s final at the same venue, where they will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid. The result continues Chelsea’s strong form under Maresca, who previously guided the club to UEFA Conference League success last season.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
