Chelsea Start Club World Cup Campaign with Solid Win Over LAFC
The goal came from a superb cross delivered by debutant Liam Delap, whose accurate delivery from the right was met by Fernandez at the back post.
Chelsea celebrate a 2-0 victory over LAFC in their FIFA Club World Cup opener at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Photo/Getty Images.
By Robert Assad
Chelsea began their FIFA Club World Cup journey with a confident 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday night.
A professional display from the Blues saw them claim all three points in front of a crowd of 22,000 spectators.
The opening goal came in the 34th minute, courtesy of Portuguese winger Pedro Neto. The summer signing made his mark with a clinical left-footed finish after being played in by Nicolas Jackson.
Neto’s strike was the reward for Chelsea’s early dominance, with the team controlling possession and territory for most of the first half.
The second half saw more of the same as Chelsea continued to press forward. Their pressure paid off in the latter stages when Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez doubled the lead.
The goal came from a superb cross delivered by debutant Liam Delap, whose accurate delivery from the right was met by Fernandez at the back post.
From there, the match turned into a controlled training session for the London side. LAFC struggled to create any meaningful chances as Chelsea calmly saw out the remainder of the game.
Manager Enzo Maresca will be pleased with the result, though there is still room for improvement. While the performance was not spectacular, it was efficient, disciplined, and enough to get the job done in their opening fixture of the tournament.
Chelsea now turn their focus to the next challenge in the competition, with hopes of claiming their second Club World Cup title. With young players like Delap making an impact and the experienced core stepping up, the Blues appear well-prepared for the matches ahead.
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