Chelsea have secured a spot in the Club World Cup final with a 2-0 win over Fluminense at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday.
New signing Joao Pedro was the star of the night, netting twice — once in each half — to seal the Blues’ place in the final. It marks Chelsea’s second major final in just two months, having lifted the UEFA Conference League trophy in May.
Enzo Maresca handed Pedro his first start against his boyhood club, while former Chelsea captain Thiago Silva marshalled the defence for Fluminense.
Chelsea began brightly and took a deserved lead in the 18th minute when Pedro, a £60 million arrival, curled a stunning shot into the far corner from 20 yards out, beating 44-year-old Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio.
Fluminense fought back and almost equalised, but Marc Cucurella cleared their best effort off the line. The Brazilians were awarded a penalty for handball in the 35th minute, but the decision was overturned after a VAR review.
Pedro struck again in the 58th minute, latching onto Enzo Fernandez’s pass and firing a shot in off the underside of the crossbar to double Chelsea’s lead. With this performance, he becomes the first Chelsea player to score twice in his first competitive start since Michy Batshuayi in 2016.
Fluminense pushed forward late on but couldn’t find a breakthrough, as Chelsea’s defence held firm to close out the victory. The result sends the Premier League side to their third Club World Cup final — and brings further financial rewards from the global tournament.
Chelsea will now await the winner of the second semi-final between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, with the final set for Sunday, July 13.
