Chelsea started the 2025 Club World Cup with a 2-0 win over LAFC. Pedro Neto scored first, and new signing Liam Delap impressed with an assist. Despite low attendance, Chelsea fans saw a promising debut and a solid team performance.
Chelsea Start Club World Cup with a Strong Win
Chelsea made a winning start to their Club World Cup 2025 campaign by beating LAFC 2-0 in their Group D opener. The match was held in Atlanta, but the stadium looked half-empty with only 22,137 fans in attendance in a stadium that holds 71,000. Still, the fans who came got to see an exciting performance especially from Chelsea’s new signing, Liam Delap.
Neto Scores First, Delap Sets Up Second
Chelsea took control of the game from the start, keeping most of the ball and pushing LAFC back. Former Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made a few early saves to keep LAFC in the game. But in the 34th minute, Chelsy finally broke through. Nicolas Jackson made a beautiful pass to Pedro Neto, who timed his run perfectly. Neto cut inside and shot the ball into the bottom corner to make it 1-0.
In the second half, fans saw Chelsea’s £30 million summer signing Liam Delap come on. He quickly impressed with his energy and movement. After almost creating a second goal with some tricky footwork, he finally got his reward. In the 79th minute, Delap sent a cross into the box, and Enzo Fernandez was ready to tap it in. That goal sealed the 2-0 win.
Delap Impresses on Debut
Liam Delap only played for about 30 minutes, but he made a big impact. His pace, power, and confidence were clear. He was not afraid to press and get physical right away, even giving away a free kick seconds after coming on.
Delap was happy after the game and said he’s ready to fight for a starting place with Jackson. “It’s always healthy to have competition,” he said. “This is an incredible club, and I want to help the team. But I want to score some goals too.”
What’s Next for Chelsea?
Chelsea’s next game in the Club World Cup is against Brazilian club Flamengo on Friday, with kickoff at 7pm (UK and Ireland time). After that, they will finish the group stage against ES Tunis the following Tuesday.
With a strong start and exciting young players like Delap making an impact, Chelsy fans have a lot to look forward to in this tournament.