Chelsea's Pedro hits debut double in Club World Cup semi to down Fluminense
The Brazilian forward, who was at Fluminense from age 10 until leaving for Watford in 2020, curled his new club in front at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday from the left side of the box in the 18th minute.
The 24-year-old, who joined the Londoners from Brighton for $81.5m last week, sealed the win in the drilled effort that went in off the underside of the bar early in the second half.
The Blues will face the winner of Real Madrid against Paris Saint-Germain, who play in the second semifinal on Wednesday.
Temperatures were soaring in New Jersey, which will stage next summer's FIFA 2026 World Cup, ahead of the 3pm kickoff.
A crowd of 70,556, which was only 10-15 percent short of capacity, attended the game, despite the 34 degrees Celsius (93F) at kickoff, with humidity that made it feel like 40C (104F).
FIFA had, however, cut ticket prices from $473.90 to $13.40 last week.
It did not take long for the action on the field to reach similarly heated levels soon after Pedro's opener, when Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah handled in his own area.
Video Referee Assistant (VAR) intervened, and the original awarding of the penalty was overturned. Fluminense were incensed, but Chalobah's arm was in a natural position by his side.
Fluminense's best opening came moments earlier, when Marc Cucurella was forced to clear Hercules's shot off the line in the 27th minute.
Former Chelsea defender Tiago Silva, who appeared 113 times for Brazil, lined up against his former club since departing the London club last October.
The 40-year-old was far busier than his former teammates in their defensive lines, with his keeper, Fabio, drawn into a number of saves.
There was little the oldest player in the tournament, at 44, could do about either of Pedro's strikes, the second a brilliant finish following a counterattack early in the 56th minute. Cole Palmer set the move in motion by dribbling past three players before laying off for Enzo Fernandez, who in turn laid on to Pedro.
Much like his first goal, where he took two steps to start to celebrate, then stopped and clasped his hands, Pedro showed respect to his former club by muting his response to both strikes.
Chelsea will now seek to secure a second FIFA Club World Cup, following their 2021 victory.
European teams will win their 12th straight Club World Cup title, and 17th in 18 tries, the lone exception a 2012 victory by Brazil's Corinthians over Chelsea.
The London-based club has earned $88.4m to $103.8m for reaching the final, the amount depending on a participation fee FIFA has not disclosed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
4 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
Tchouameni urges Madrid to show quality against PSG
PAMedia/DPA London Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni says Real Madrid are not ready to return home from the Club World Cup just yet. The France international, who joined Madrid from Monaco during the summer of 2022, will rub shoulders with some familiar faces when they go head-to-head with Champions League winners Paris St Germain in the semi-finals at the MetLife Stadium in New York on Wednesday evening. PSG are chasing a famous quadruple having already claimed a domestic double and the European crown, but Tchouameni is determined that it will be they rather than the Spanish side, who will be heading home prematurely. He told RM Play: 'We're delighted to be in the semi-finals, but we want more. We have to win the game against PSG and we're going to give our all, fight to win to stay in the competition. 'PSG are a good team with a lot of players I know personally. They're a top team in world football, recently winning the Champions League. 'It's going to be a difficult game, but we have the quality to win it and we have to show that.' Xabi Alonso's men will have to cope without summer signing Dean Huijsen, who is suspended after being sent off during a chaotic conclusion to Saturday night's 3-2 quarter-final victory over Borussia Dortmund. The former Madrid and Liverpool midfielder's reign is still in its infancy after he replaced Carlo Ancelotti at the helm just weeks before the competition got under way. However, Tchouameni revealed Alonso is gradually making his presence felt. He said: 'Day by day, we understand more and more what the coach and his staff want. We're improving on and off the pitch in every game. We have to keep working and improving.' If Alonso has a decision to make over Huijsen's replacement, opposite number Luis Enrique has holes to plug in his team and on the bench. Central defender Willian Pacho and substitute Lucas Hernandez were both dismissed in an eventful ending to PSG's 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in the last eight. Striker Ousmane Dembele, who left Barcelona for Paris two summers ago, scored the second goal after coming off the bench as he works his way back to full fitness after injury at the end of what has been a remarkable season. He told the club's YouTube channel: 'This is what I wanted. I signed for PSG to have moments like this. 'This year has been exceptional, both personally and collectively, so it's magnificent.'
Qatar Tribune
4 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
England not thinking about result of clash vs Netherlands, says Wiegman
PA Media/DPA Zurich Head coach Sarina Wiegman insists England have not discussed the possibility of an early exit from Euro 2025 ahead of what is all-but certain to be a must-win match against the Netherlands. The Lionesses' 2-1 opening loss to France has left their title defence hanging by a thread and it does not get any easier with the 2017 champions up next in Zurich. England will become the first holders to crash out at the group stage if they lose and France avoid defeat to Wales. 'We don't talk about consequences,' Wiegman said. 'We talk about our game plan again, about what we have to do to be at our best and how we can exploit spaces that the Netherlands leave behind.' Saturday's defeat was also a first for Wiegman in the group stage of a major tournament, having led the Netherlands to the trophy in a flawless campaign, then doing the same with England four years later. This is a different kind of jeopardy but not one that has changed Wiegman's perspective. She said: 'It's a game. It's a football game and the outcome, of course, has consequences, but that was the same in the final in the Euros and the final in the World Cup. 'So we bring it back to 'what do we have to do?' And the focus is what actions do we have to take to play our best. That's the conversation we have with the players. That's what we train and how we can stick together? 'In good moments that's easier. When it's harder moments, how do we come together and get back to what we have to do.' Arsenal striker Alessia Russo, who had a would-be opening goal chalked off against France, agreed England can rely on their good track record of responding to unfavourable results. She said: 'Ultimately we don't like losing but when a result like that happens you have to reflect, you have to come together as a team. 'We have bounced back before, which will give us confidence. But also we know we weren't up to it against France.' In the weeks leading up to this tournament, Wiegman and the Lionesses have branded themselves a 'new England', but on Monday midfielder Georgia Stanway said the side were determined to play a 'traditional style' of football. However traditional and new ultimately intersect on Wednesday night, the match cannot come soon enough for Russo and her team-mates. She added: 'When you have a disappointing result in football, all you want to do is get back out on the pitch and play again. 'Luckily with tournaments it comes around a bit quicker than normal. Four days is plenty for us to want to be back out on that pitch. I think everyone is ready and looking forward to tomorrow.'
Qatar Tribune
4 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
Germany need Musiala to recover and deliver ‘brilliant moments': Sane
dpa Munich Leroy Sane hailed Germany team-mate Jamal Musiala as a difference maker as he wished his former Bayern Munich colleague a speedy recovery. The 22-year-old broke his fibula and dislocated his ankle in Bayern's 2-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup quarter-finals. The playmaker will now be out for several months. Sane will be one of the candidates to fill in for him for Germany in upcoming World Cup qualifiers, but he can no longer replace Musiala for Bayern after recently leaving for Galatasaray. 'I really hope he recovers soon. Bayern and the national team need him and his brilliant moments,' the 29-year-old told Sky. 'He was just on his way to becoming 100% fit again, and then this... I feel so incredibly sorry for him. It's so frustrating.' Musiala underwent successful surgery on Monday. 'I watched the game live on TV,' Sane said. 'The scene didn't look good at all after the first replay. Unfortunately, you could already sense that it would mean a longer recovery period. It's unbelievably bitter. I was stunned at first.'
