Chelsea secured a strong start to their FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over Los Angeles FC (LAFC) in their Group D opener on Monday. Despite not being at their fluid best, the English side demonstrated clinical finishing and composure when it mattered most.
The opening half saw Chelsea take control early on, setting the tone with a series of promising attacks. In the 6th minute, Nicolas Jackson unleashed a powerful shot that was expertly saved by the LAFC goalkeeper. Just over ten minutes later, Noni Madueke tested the experienced Hugo Lloris with a low-driven effort that the veteran keeper managed to parry.
Chelsea continued to press, with Cole Palmer coming close in the 21st minute as his curling attempt narrowly missed the target. The pressure finally paid off in the 34th minute. Jackson turned provider with a smart pass to Pedro Neto, who controlled the ball just outside the box and rifled a precise shot into the bottom right corner, giving Chelsea a deserved 1-0 lead at the break.
In the second half, LAFC returned with renewed energy and began pushing for an equalizer. Olivier Giroud nearly delivered it in the 51st minute with a powerful strike that drifted just wide of the post. Chelsea responded quickly, with Pedro Neto again threatening this time with a header that was blocked by the defense.
The MLS side almost leveled in the 57th minute, when Denis Bouanga forced a spectacular save from Chelsea’s goalkeeper Robert Sanchez after meeting a well-placed cross. Both sides traded chances as the match intensified. Palmer fired over the bar in the 70th minute, missing an opportunity to double Chelsea’s lead, while LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead narrowly missed the crossbar with a long-range thunderbolt just two minutes later.
The decisive moment came in the 80th minute. Substitute Liam Delap sent a precise cross into the box, and Enzo Fernandez met it with a composed finish into the bottom right corner, sealing the win for Chelsea. The goal extinguished any hopes of an LAFC comeback and ensured the Premier League side collected maximum points from their opener.
In other Club World Cup action on Monday, Botafogo edged Seattle 2-1, while Palmeiras and Porto settled for a goalless draw. Sunday’s matches saw Bayern Munich rout Auckland City 10-0, Paris Saint-Germain comfortably dispatch Atletico Madrid 3-0, and Al Ahly Cairo hold Inter Miami to a 0-0 draw.
