Fluminense 0-2 Chelsea: Blues into Club World Cup final as Joao Pedro marks full debut in style

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Evening Standard

·8 July 2025

Fluminense 0-2 Chelsea: Blues into Club World Cup final as Joao Pedro marks full debut in style

Blues will face either PSG or Real Madrid in the Club World Cup final

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Chelsea are through to the Club World Cup final after beating Fluminense.

Joao Pedro was the hero for the Blues as he opened his account for his new club with a brace to ensure the west London outfit will be back at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

Fluminense had been the surprise package of the Club World Cup, but this meeting against the Premier League giants proved a step too far as Thiago Silva suffered defeat at the hands of his former club.

Blues boss Enzo Maresca opted to make three changes to the side that started the quarter-final win over Palmeiras, two of which were enforced because of suspension as Joao Pedro was handed his first start in place of Liam Delap.

A decision that paid off inside 20 minutes as the Brazilian broke the deadlock with a stunning finish.

Receiving the ball following a poorly cleared cross, Joao Pedro whipped an effort into the far top corner and refused to celebrate against the club where it all began for him.

Malo Gusto, perhaps, should have doubled the lead moments later as he planted a free header straight at Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio before the Brazilian outfit threatened an equaliser.

Herclues - the hero in the quarter-final - was inches away from bringing his side level as he poked the ball from Robert Sanchez’s leg but was denied a goal as Marc Cucurella did not switch off and cleared the effort off the line.

Moments later, Fluminense were initially awarded a penalty for handball against Trevoh Chalobah. However, the decision was reversed following a VAR review, allowing Chelsea to keep their one-goal lead at the break.

The lead was doubled just before the hour mark and it was Joao Pedro once again.

Running onto Enzo Fernandez's pass, he carried the ball from just past the halfway line before cutting into the box and slamming in a shot which hit the underside of the crossbar en route to hitting the back of the net.

A perfect full debut for the £60m summer signing from Brighton, now he and his Chelsea teammates will wait to discover if they will face Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid in Sunday’s Club World Cup final.