Chelsea secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over Palmeiras on Friday, moving into the semifinals of the Club World Cup where they will meet Brazilian side Fluminense.
The decisive moment came late in the match when a shot by Chelsea’s Malo Gusto deflected off two Palmeiras players — Richard Rios and Agustin Giay — and rolled into the net. Palmeiras goalkeeper Weverton could not react in time to stop the ball as it took a sudden change of direction, sealing Chelsea’s victory.
Earlier, Cole Palmer gave Chelsea the lead in the 16th minute with a well-placed left-footed shot. Taking a smart pass from Trevoh Chalobah, Palmer drove toward goal from outside the box and struck from around 15 yards out. The goal silenced his recent critics, who had questioned his impact despite leading the team in attempts on target throughout the tournament.
Speaking after the game, Palmer said he had been practicing that type of finish in training. “I just saw the space and went there,” he said. “The manager told us to stay calm and focus on passing. That helped us settle into the game.”
Palmeiras equalized in the 53rd minute thanks to a brilliant effort from Estevao, who found the net from a difficult angle. The 17-year-old forward is set to join Chelsea in the current transfer window, having signed a deal back in May. However, his move was delayed until he turned 18 in April. As part of the agreement, he remained with Palmeiras until the end of their tournament campaign.
Chelsea fans had mixed emotions when Estevao scored, but many are now looking forward to seeing him in blue. “You can see he’s a top player,” said Palmer, “so we’re excited for him to come in.”
Just a minute after the Palmeiras goal, Chelsea introduced Joao Pedro, who made his debut for the club. The Brazilian attacker joined from Brighton earlier this week. Last season, he scored 10 goals and made six assists in the Premier League.
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca praised his team’s performance after the match. “It was a tough game, like we expected,” he said. “We needed a lot of energy. The players gave everything. I’m happy with the result and also happy that Estevao scored. It was the perfect night.”
The win now sets up a semifinal clash between Chelsea and Fluminense, who have been one of the standout teams of the tournament so far.
Elsewhere in the competition, Real Madrid will face Borussia Dortmund, while Paris Saint-Germain are set to take on Bayern Munich in the remaining quarterfinal matches on Saturday.
With confidence building and new signings making an impact, Chelsea’s Club World Cup journey continues with growing momentum.
