Chelsea 2-0 LAFC: Blues make winning start to Group D after Neto and Fernández strikes | OneFootball

Chelsea opened their FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over Steven Cherundolo’s LAFC at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Enzo Maresca’s Blues took the lead in the 34th minute through Pedro Neto before substitute Enzo Fernández doubled their lead with the help of a debut assist from new signing Liam Delap.

Despite victory, the visitors caused the Premier League side problems in the second half and Denis Bouanga in particular was left to rue a couple of missed opportunities.

As it happened

The opening piece of action in Group D saw Chelsea counter at pace in the fifth minute with Marc Cucurella feeding Noni Madueke, who drove towards the LAFC backline before slipping a pass through to Nicolas Jackson. The Senegalese international took a sharp turn, but as he went to strike, he lost his balance and his effort was graciously caught by Hugo Lloris.

The chances continued to fall the way of Maresca’s men as Moisés Caicedo pinched the ball high up the pitch before finding Jackson, who brilliantly used his body to evade the first of several numerous challenges before playing the ball through for the overlapping Madueke, whose effort was thwarted by Lloris.

The mercurial Cole Palmer was left with time and space to shape up and shoot from distance, but his effort took a slight deflection before ending up on the top of Lloirs’ goal. However, the London side did take the lead in the 34th minute.

Jackson held the ball up on the halfway line before playing a pass through into the acres of space behind the LAFC defence, which Neto raced onto. The Portuguese winger unleashed a devastating Cruyff turn to beat Ryan Hollingshead before firing low and hard past Lloris into the bottom corner to give Chelsea the lead before the break.

The second period started far more evenly as LAFC looked much more dangerous, however the clear opportunities continued to fall the way of the Premier League side. Neto’s clipped cross was headed goalwards by Jackson, but the effort was cleared off the line to keep the MLS side in the tie.

Robert Sánchez was forced into an important save for the first time in the game as Bouanga battled with Neto and bullied him off the ball before striking towards the bottom corner, only for the outstretched boot of Sánchez to deny an equaliser.

New signing Delap was given half an hour to make his mark, and he nearly set up the second as he latched onto a Palmer pass and got the better of his defender before looking for fellow substitute Fernández, whose effort was deflected over the bar. Palmer then had a great opportunity to wrap up the victory himself after a well-worked free kick routine, but he skied his effort.

In the 80th minute The Blues did double their advantage as the debutant Delap whipped a delicious cross into the area for the arriving Fernández, who took the ball under control before poking past Lloris.

Despite Chelsea’s two-goal cushion, LAFC were not going to wither away, as Malo Gusto was caught off guard by a teasing ball over the top which Bouanga brought down expertly before driving towards goal and managing to get a shot away off despite being off balance, which Sánchez was ultimately equal to.

The Conference League winners nearly made it three in stoppage time as the confident Neto struck a curling effort that cannoned off the crossbar before the referee called a halt to proceedings, with Chelsea having started their Club World Cup campaign with three points.

Matchday two of Group D sees Chelsea take on Brazilian side Flamengo in Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, while Los Angeles face Tunisian outfit ES Tunis at Nashville’s Geodis Park.

The lineups

LAFC: Lloris; Palencia, Long, Segura, Hollingshead; Tillman, Jesus, Delgado; Ordaz, Ebobisse, Bouanga