Chelsea have secured their place in the Club World Cup semi-finals after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Palmeiras on Friday.
Cole Palmer gave the Premier League side an early advantage, opening the scoring in the 16th minute with a composed finish. But Palmeiras, the South American champions, fought back in the second half with a stunning equaliser from Estevao — the young Brazilian talent set to join Chelsea after this tournament.
Just as the match looked destined for extra time, Chelsea found their winner. Malo Gusto’s cross took a pair of deflections before finding its way into the net, handing Mauricio Pochettino’s side the win and a place in the last four.
Chelsea will now face Brazilian side Fluminense in Tuesday’s semi-final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The match is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.
Club World Cup Quarter-Finals Continue Saturday
The final two quarter-finals will take place on Saturday:
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Bayern Munich, 12 p.m. ET, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund, 4 p.m. ET, MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
The winners of those fixtures will complete the semi-final lineup as the tournament edges closer to crowning the world’s top club side.
