Neto and Fernández Strike as Blues Begin Tournament in Style
Chelsea kicked off their FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Los Angeles FC in Atlanta, marking the first-ever meeting between English and American clubs in the competition.
Despite early frustrations in front of goal, the Premier League side’s superior quality eventually shone through. Pedro Neto broke the deadlock just before halftime with a dazzling solo effort, cutting inside and firing past former Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris at the near post.
LAFC attempted to rally after the break, with substitute David Martínez going close shortly after coming on, but Chelsea’s defense—anchored by a solid Robert Sánchez—held firm. Nicolas Jackson nearly doubled the lead, only for Timothy Tillman to make a heroic goal-line block, but the Blues eventually sealed the win late on.
New signing Liam Delap, making his debut off the bench, played a key role in the second goal, floating in a cross that Enzo Fernández expertly converted. Martínez almost pulled one back for LAFC late on, but Sánchez stood tall to preserve Chelsea’s clean sheet.
With this confident start, the Blues now turn their attention to a tougher test against Brazil’s Flamengo, while LAFC will look to bounce back against Tunisia’s Esperance. For Chelsea, this performance served as a statement of intent—they’re here to win.
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