Chelsea secures a 2-1 victory over Palmeiras to advance to the FIFA Club World Cup semifinals, where they will face Fluminense.
The match turned in Chelsea’s favor when a shot by Malo Gusto deflected off Palmeiras’ Richard Rios and Agustin Giay, with goalkeeper Weverton unable to halt the ball as it entered the net.
Chelsea is set to face Fluminense on Tuesday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with the Brazilian team having earlier defeated Al Hilal 2-1 on Friday.
Cole Palmer netted his first goal of the tournament for Chelsea in the 16th minute, before Estevao, who will be joining Chelsea post-tournament, equalized in the 53rd minute.
Despite criticism for his lack of productivity previously, Palmer showcased his skills, scoring from just outside the box with a left-footed shot after a pass from Trevoh Chalobah.
“I’ve been practicing that shot in training. I just saw the space and seized the opportunity,” Palmer commented to DAZN after the match.
“The manager advised me to stay calm and keep passing the ball, which worked out in our favor.”
There was a mix of cheers and puzzlement from Chelsea fans when Estevao scored, drawing the game level with a splendid effort.
Estevao had agreed to a move to Chelsea in May 2024 but was unable to transfer until he reached the age of 18 on April 24, delaying his move until the current transfer window.
Arrangements were made for him to continue playing for Palmeiras until their participation in the tournament concluded.
“You can see that Estevao is a top player, so we’re excited to have him join the team after the tournament,” Palmer said about his soon-to-be teammate.
Joao Pedro made his debut for Chelsea in the 54th minute, barely two days after his signing from Brighton & Hove Albion was confirmed.
The Brazilian racked up 10 goals and 6 assists for Brighton in the previous season.
Chelsea’s new manager, Enzo Maresca, lauded the team’s performance after the match.
“It was a tough game, as we expected, and it required a lot of energy,” Maresca told DAZN.
“I’m happy we won but also pleased to see Estevao scoring. It was a perfect night for Chelsea.”
In the other quarterfinals, Real Madrid will face Borussia Dortmund, and Paris-Saint Germain will play against Bayern Munich on Saturday.
