João Pedro made a dream debut for Chelsea, scoring twice to power the Blues to a 2–0 win over Fluminense and secure a place in the FIFA Club World Cup final.
Chelsea took the lead just 20 minutes into the game when Pedro pounced on a loose ball from Thiago Silva’s clearance and curled a stunning shot over goalkeeper Fabio into the top corner.
Moments later, Malo Gusto came close to doubling the lead with a powerful header, but Fabio made a sharp save. Fluminense responded with a dangerous attack, but Marc Cucurella’s goal-line clearance denied Hercules and kept Chelsea ahead.
The Brazilian side thought they had won a penalty when the ball struck Trevoh Chalobah’s arm in the box. However, VAR intervened, and referee Francois Letexier reversed the decision, ruling the defender’s arm was in a natural position.
Pedro sealed the win in style with his second goal, latching onto a long ball from Enzo Fernandez and finishing off a counterattack with a strike that ricocheted off the crossbar and into the net.
Despite pressure from Fluminense and resilient defending from former Chelsea captain Thiago Silva, the Premier League side held firm. Manager Enzo Maresca’s men now await the winner of Wednesday’s semi-final between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
