Chelsea Defeats Fluminense, Advances to Club World Cup Final

East Rutherford, New Jersey — Chelsea secured a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup final with a 2-0 victory over Fluminense on Tuesday at MetLife Stadium. Joao Pedro, the Brazilian forward who recently joined Chelsea for £60 million, scored both goals in his first start for the club.

Pedro opened the scoring in the 18th minute, curling a shot into the top corner from just outside the box. The 23-year-old later doubled the lead in the second half with another impressive strike after a counter-attack. “I’m happy to score my first goal, but I also know this tournament is very important for them,” Pedro said about facing his former club. “I have to be professional. I play for Chelsea.”

Fluminense, hailing from Rio de Janeiro, had been the last non-European team remaining in the tournament. They advanced to the knockout stage after successfully navigating the group stage, but their journey ended against Chelsea. Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca noted the importance of Pedro’s contributions: “We have players that are able to score, and Joao can do this.”

In the first half, Fluminense threatened to equalize when Marc Cucurella cleared a goal-bound shot off the line. They also appealed for a penalty after Trevoh Chalobah’s arm handled the ball, but the decision was overturned after a VAR review.

Chelsea’s victory comes with financial rewards as they stand to earn between $88 million and $103 million for reaching the final, depending on FIFA’s undisclosed participation fee. The match drew over 70,000 fans, showing strong support despite high temperatures. The Blues will face either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain, who play in the second semifinal on Wednesday.

“It has been a fantastic season — top four in the Premier League, Conference League, and now in the final of this competition,” Maresca said, expressing happiness over the team’s achievements. Chelsea will be aiming for their second Club World Cup title, having previously won in 2021. The final is set for Sunday.