Chelsea secured a 3-0 win over Esperance de Tunis on Tuesday to advance to the Club World Cup round of 16. Goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Liam Delap, and Tyrique George sealed the victory for Chelsea’s second-string side in their final Group D match.
Chelsea finished second in Group D with seven points, just behind group leaders Flamengo, who drew 1-1 with LAFC. Esperance took third place with three points, while LAFC ended last with one point.
The next challenge for Chelsea is Group C winners Benfica. They will meet on Saturday at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Meanwhile, Flamengo will face Bayern Munich, the runners-up from Group C, in Miami on Sunday.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca continued to rotate his squad, resting key players including Cole Palmer and goalkeeper Robert Sánchez. Striker Nicolas Jackson missed the game due to a two-match suspension following his red card in Friday’s 3-1 loss to Flamengo. He will also be unavailable against Benfica.
Liam Delap, a recent signing from Ipswich Town for £30 million ($40.66 million), nearly scored early. In the 20th minute, his header was cleared off the line. Chelsea dominated possession in the first half but struggled to create clear chances. Delap missed another key opportunity in the 30th minute, shooting wide from close range.
The breakthrough came in first-half stoppage time. Tosin Adarabioyo rose above defenders to head the ball into the bottom left corner. Shortly after, Delap scored his first goal for Chelsea. He grabbed a loose ball inside the box, cut past a defender, and placed a neat finish into the far corner.
In the second half, Chelsea controlled the game without pushing aggressively for more goals. Their strong defense kept Esperance from making a comeback. Late in added time, substitute Tyrique George made it 3-0 with a powerful shot from the edge of the box.
Chelsea’s win confirms their spot in the round of 16, where they will look to continue their Club World Cup journey.
