Pedro brace sends Chelsea into final

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey — New signing Joao Pedro scored twice on his first start as Chelsea eased to a 2-0 win over Fluminense on Tuesday, sealing a spot in the final of the Club World Cup.

The Brazilian striker opened the scoring in lethal fashion in the 18th minute of the semifinal clash at the MetLife Stadium, and struck again shortly before the hour mark as Chelsea set up a showdown with either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday's final.

Signed from Brighton and Hove Albion last week for a reported 60 million ($79 million), the 23-yearold cut short a holiday and made his debut off the bench in the quarterfinal win over Palmeiras.

He was then given his first Chelsea start up front in place of the suspended Liam Delap.

Pedro refused to celebrate after either goal against the club at which he started his career and made 36 top-team appearances before moving to England to join Watford in 2020.

"They (Fluminense) gave everything to me. They showed me to the world. If I'm here, it's because they believed in me," said Pedro.

"I'm very grateful, but this is soccer — I have to be professional. I feel sorry for them, but I have to do my job.

"Today, I think because I started, I had more time to do my stuff and I had to score. The team won, the team played well and that's important," he added in televised remarks.

The result ends Fluminense's impressive run at the tournament, after the 2023 Copa Libertadores winner held Borussia Dortmund in the group stage, beat Inter Milan in the last 16 and knocked out Manchester City's conqueror Al Hilal in the quarterfinals.

With its exit go the prospects of a South American winner of the first 32-team Club World Cup, with Chelsea claiming back-to-back victories against Brazilian opposition to reach the final.

As always seemed most likely, the trophy will be claimed by one of Europe's superpowers, with the final now guaranteed to be between two of the last five winners of the UEFA Champions League.

"It is a great achievement. It has been a fantastic season — top four in the league, (winning) the Conference League and now in the final of this competition. We are so, so happy," Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca told broadcaster DAZN.

"Now, finally, it is the last game of the season, we can say that, and, hopefully, we can win the tournament."

Fluminense coach Renato Portaluppi had described his team as the "ugly duckling" of the tournament, due to the enormous difference between its budget and those of the other three remaining sides.

This game ultimately proved to be a step too far for the team, captained by 40-year-old former Chelsea centerback Thiago Silva.

"This was a wonderful Club World Cup," said Portaluppi.

"There is no crying over spilled milk now. We wanted to get to the final for our fans, but we leave with our heads held high, and go back to our reality stronger now than we were before."

Caicedo back

Chelsea was without the suspended Levi Colwill and Delap, but Moises Caicedo returned after a ban.

The Premier League side was simply too strong for its opponent in a game watched by 70,556 fans on a hot afternoon just outside New York City.

Chelsea went ahead thanks to a wonderful strike by its new forward, who controlled the ball on the edge of the box after Silva had cleared a Pedro Neto cross.

Joao Pedro took a touch and curled a shot beyond veteran goalkeeper Fabio into the far corner, before holding up his hands apologetically towards the Fluminense fans behind the goal.

The team from Rio de Janeiro was an intermittent threat, and Hercules — match winner against Al Hilal in the last eight — almost equalized in the 25th minute.

He played a one-two with German Cano and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, but Marc Cucurella cleared off the line.

Fluminense was then awarded a penalty 10 minutes before the interval when a set-piece delivery by Rene struck the arm of Trevoh Chalobah in the box.

However, French referee Francois Letexier overturned the decision following a VAR check.

"Had we been awarded the penalty, we would have scored and it would have been a different story," said Portaluppi.

Chelsea got its second goal on 56 minutes, just after Fluminense had sacrificed one of its three centerbacks to send on an extra attacker.

Enzo Fernandez released Pedro on the break, and the forward produced another clinical finish in off the bar.

There were more chances for Chelsea, but the new boy's double strike sufficed, with the only potential black mark on the day being the knock that forced Caicedo to limp off before full-time.

Agencies