João Pedro scored a brace against his former club Fluminense in his first start for Chelsea, guiding the English side to a 2-0 victory on Tuesday and securing a place in the Club World Cup final.
The 23-year-old forward, who spent nearly a decade at Fluminense before moving to Watford in 2020, found the net in the 18th and 56th minutes. Out of respect, he chose not to celebrate either goal. João Pedro recently joined Chelsea from Brighton on July 2.
With this win, Chelsea move into Sunday’s final where they will face the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. A victory would give Chelsea their second Club World Cup title, having won the tournament in 2021.
European clubs continue to dominate the Club World Cup, with this year’s final set to mark the 12th consecutive title for Europe and the 17th in 18 editions. The only exception came in 2012 when Brazil’s Corinthians defeated Chelsea.
Fluminense were initially awarded a penalty in the first half, but French referee François Letexier overturned the decision after a VAR review, ruling that Trevoh Chalobah’s arm was in a natural position when René’s free kick struck it.
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João Pedro’s first goal came after he dispossessed German Cano and set up a sequence that ended with a precise 20-yard finish. His second came from a fluid team move initiated by Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernández, which he finished off the underside of the crossbar.
Marc Cucurella made a crucial goal-line clearance in the 27th minute, while Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo suffered a left ankle injury in stoppage time.
The match drew 70,556 fans to MetLife Stadium amid sweltering 34°C heat and intense humidity. FIFA had slashed ticket prices drastically a week earlier, from nearly $474 to just over $13.
Chelsea are expected to earn between $88.4 million and $103.8 million for reaching the final, depending on undisclosed FIFA fees.
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Quotable:
“When I was young, I didn’t have nothing. They gave everything to me,” João Pedro said of Fluminense.
“We depart with our heads held high,” said Fluminense coach Renato Gaúcho.
Source: Agency