Chelsea v Los Angeles FC: Neto, Fernandez Fire Blues to Club World Cup Win

Chelsea v Los Angeles FC. Chelsea has defeated Los Angeles FC 2-0 in its World Club Championship opener. Goals were scored in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium by Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez. This is a great first step for Chelsea, who won the Conference League last season, now turning their attention to Flamengo this Friday.

First Half Breaks Through

They started at a fierce tempo with high possession and pressure. The first goal arrived in the 34th minute. Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson, playing deeper as the half wore on, lifted a long cross-field ball from his half to the far sideline. There to meet it was Chelsea’s Pedro Neto with an expertly timed run that kept him onside. This was a confident finish as he took a touch past Ryan Hollingshead and pushed it calmly by Hugo Lloris.

The goal paid off all of Chelsea’s attacking efforts in the first half while punishing LAFC’s high defensive line. The interplay between Jackson and Neto was professional as the Premier League side established a comfortable lead.

Frictions Early On with Tactical Battling

Also indicated by two yellow cards in the first half—both on Chelsea—the Blues were intent on playing aggressively and stamping their authority. The two yellows came consecutively as Chelsea continued applying pressure before LAFC attempted to counter. However, a hard tackle on Neto resulted in a yellow being issued to Bouanga, as emotions flared, and players had to separate each other.

Thus, while LAFC wanted to use Chelsea’s aggression against them by targeting the two flanks where Gusto and Colwill pushed high, they sent Timothy Tillman and Bouanga on runs in transition to exploit the speedy wingbacks. However, Chelsea’s midfield of Fernandez, Caicedo, and Lavia was on top of all tempo on their side of the pitch.

Second Half Dodges a Bullet

Chelsea nearly cemented the lead just after the second half got underway. Neto, again integral to the attacking buildup, found himself at the right side of the goal line and cut back to the center of the six to find Jackson for what appeared to be an inevitable goal. However, Tillman made a sliding block just in time to prevent LAFC from going down by two.

LAFC’s best opportunity came in the 57th minute when Bouanga cut in from the left side and ripped a shot from about 20 yards. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez dove to his right, got a fingertip to the ball, and deflected it just over the crossbar.

Fernandez Caps It Off

Chelsea put the game to bed in the 79th minute. Substituting in, Liam Delap got his foot on a cross from the right side and caught Enzo Fernandez making his run into the box. The left-footed effort was taken at point-blank range and finished for the goal as a cherry on top for Delap, who had an excellent game.

Manager’s Post Game Comments

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was pleased with the result.

“Good result. At this time of year, there are different things to manage; it’s understandable. The performance was solid. We have another one in three days; recovery is key. We’ll do what’s best to prepare and try to win.”

Attendance Issues

A disappointing attendance of 22,137 filled a stadium of 70,000+. This is a far cry from the packed Chelsea vs Newcastle friendly two summers ago at this stadium. Whether it’s scheduling, limited marketing, or exorbitant prices, the attendance raised eyebrows.

Where they fell short in the stands, they made up for on the field.

Future Games

Chelsea’s next match is across the country in Philadelphia against Brazilian power Flamengo. LAFC will look to get on the board with a win against ES Tunis in Nashville. With both teams playing in three days, rotation and recovery will be critical.

Expect Chelsea to rotate since Maresca mentioned “different things” to manage over this busy tournament stretch.

Chelsea v Los Angeles FC: Key Breakdown

• Chelsea Formation: 4-3-3 with overlapping full-backs.
• LAFC Formation: 4-2-3-1 seeking to play on the counter.
• Key Matchup: Neto vs Hollingshead on right side.
• Tactical Deciding Factor: Whoever wins midfield and final third execution.