FIFA Club World Cup: Chelsea Opens Club World Cup Account with Straightforward 2-0 Win

Chelsea begins their Club World Cup journey with a 2-0 win over LAFC. Get the highlights and analysis of their Group D opener.

Chelsea kicked off their Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over LAFC, securing three points in Group D. The match marked the first-ever encounter between English and American teams in the competition.

The game started as expected, with Chelsea dominating possession and LAFC under pressure. The Blues created the first significant chance when Noni Madueke's shot was blocked by Hugo Lloris.

Chelsea's frustration grew as the first half wore on, with Cole Palmer's wayward shot from 30 yards, which hit the roof of the net, highlighting their early struggles in front of goal.

With an abundance of quality in the ranks though, it always seemed likely that Chelsea would create a gilt-edge opening.

That duly arrived a little over 10 minutes before HT when Pedro Neto was freed in behind before he stepped inside, leaving an LAFC defender on the floor, and slammed home at the near post past Lloris.

LAFC tried to shift the momentum in the second half, introducing David Martínez at halftime. He nearly made an immediate impact, curling a shot just wide from the edge of the box. However, Chelsea quickly reminded them of their quality when Nicolas Jackson's header was spectacularly blocked on the line by Timothy Tillman.

LAFC's Denis Bouanga quickly countered with a promising attack, cutting inside and shooting at the near post, only to be blocked by Robert Sánchez.

Off to a great start. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/l4t0MhLMle

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 16, 2025

The hosts would later regret missing that chance, as Chelsea sealed the win 10 minutes from time. Liam Delap, making his debut, floated a cross into the box, which Enzo Fernández met with a clinical finish into the corner, doubling the Blues' lead.

LAFC's Martínez had a late consolation goal chance, but Robert Sánchez made a crucial save to deny him.

In the end, Chelsea held on for a 2-0 win, making a strong statement in Group D. Neto hit the crossbar in the final moments, but the Blues had already asserted their dominance. Now, they'll face a tougher test against Flamengo, while LAFC take on Esperance de Tunis.