FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Chelsea Begin Campaign With 2-0 Win Over LAFC

Chelsea started their Club World Cup campaign with a dominant 2-0 win over LAFC. Goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez, plus a debut assist from Liam Delap, sealed the victory.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Chelsea began their FIFA Club World Cup journey with a smooth 2-0 win over LAFC at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Despite the big stage, the stadium was half-empty, and LAFC started the game brightly, testing Chelsea in the opening minutes.

Palmer and Jackson Spark Chelsea Attack

Chelsea slowly grew into the game, with Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson creating problems for LAFC’s defense. Palmer, now wearing the number 10 shirt, came close to scoring around the 20-minute mark with a curling effort.

In the 34th minute, Jackson delivered a clever pass to Pedro Neto. The Portuguese winger beat his defender and slotted the ball past Hugo Lloris for Chelsea’s opening goal.

Ordaz Injury, Maresca’s Rotation

Just two minutes later, LAFC suffered a blow when Nathan Ordaz was forced off due to a head injury. David Martinez replaced him. Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca, who had urged his players to treat the match seriously, made changes at halftime bringing on Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernandez for Reece James and Romeo Lavia to keep the squad fresh.

Former Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud came on for LAFC in the second half to face his old club.

Delap Impresses on Debut

Chelsea continued to create chances, with Jackson nearly scoring again but his header was deflected wide. On the other end, LAFC’s Denis Bouanga forced a good save from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez in one of their few chances.

New signing Liam Delap replaced Jackson in the 64th minute and made an instant impact. He delivered a perfect cross for Enzo Fernandez, who tapped it in from close range in the 74th minute to seal the 2-0 win.

Confident Start for the Blues

Chelsea looked composed and in control throughout most of the match. With goals from Neto and Fernandez, and an assist on debut from Delap, Maresca’s side will be happy with the result. The Blues now move forward in the Club World Cup with confidence and depth.