By Olaitan Ibrahim
Chelsea are through to the final of the FIFA Club World Cup after Brazilian forward João Pedro scored twice to seal a dominant 2-0 win over Fluminense in the semi-final on Tuesday night.
The match, played at MetLife Stadium, saw Pedro net in the 18th and 56th minutes, a brace that crushed the hopes of his boyhood club, Fluminense, and sent the Blues into their first Club World Cup final since 2021.
Despite facing the club that gave him his early football foundation, the 22-year-old delivered a clinical performance but chose not to celebrate his goals — a show of respect that didn’t go unnoticed by fans.
Chelsea were in control for most of the game, with a slightly higher possession at 54% and an impressive 91% passing accuracy. The Blues had 6 shots on target compared to Fluminense’s 3 and forced 4 corner kicks while maintaining balance in duels and tackles.
Enzo Maresca’s side looked well-drilled, with creative spark coming from Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku and Enzo Fernandez, while João Pedro proved the difference-maker.