Club World Cup: João Pedro fires Chelsea into the final | OneFootball

Club World Cup: João Pedro fires Chelsea into the final

Making his first start in Chelsea colors, João Pedro dazzled. The Brazilian striker netted a brace and powered the Blues to an emphatic 2-0 victory over Fluminense on Tuesday night in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final.

Leading the line in place of Liam Delap, João Pedro made a statement on his debut. Facing his former club, he broke the deadlock in the 18th minute with a superb curling strike from outside the box—a perfect way to announce his arrival.

Just ten minutes after the break, João Pedro doubled Chelsea's lead on a lightning-fast counter, curling the ball into the top corner after a slick cut inside. A real gem.

The striker then made way for Nicolas Jackson in the 60th minute. The Senegalese forward came agonizingly close to making it 3-0 with ten minutes left, hitting the side netting while Cole Palmer was unmarked at the far post.

Chelsea were never truly threatened and booked a deserved place in the final. Enzo Maresca’s men will face the winner of Wednesday’s showdown between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.