Chelsea secured a place in the semi-final of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Brazilian side Palmeiras — a match that saw teenage sensation Estevao Willian score against the club he is set to join.
Cole Palmer opened the scoring for the Blues in the 16th minute, calmly slotting past the goalkeeper after a slick attacking move.
Palmeiras equalised early in the second half through Estevao, who produced a moment of brilliance in the 53rd minute.
The 18-year-old Brazil international, who is on the verge of completing a £52 million move to Chelsea, found space inside the box before smashing a shot in off the bar from a tight angle — a striking reminder of the talent Chelsea are acquiring.
Despite the leveller, Chelsea regained the lead when Malo Gusto’s cross took a deflection off Palmeiras defender Giay Agustin and ended up in the back of the net.
The match also marked the debut of £55 million signing Joao Pedro, who joined from Brighton just two days prior.
The forward looked lively and was unlucky not to score.
However, it wasn’t all good news for Chelsea. Both Liam Delap and Levi Colwill received yellow cards, ruling them out of the semi-final through suspension, while captain Reece James was withdrawn from the lineup after picking up an injury during the warm-up.
Chelsea will now face Fluminense in the semi-final on Tuesday at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Palmeiras, meanwhile, return to domestic competition, now without Estevao, whose standout farewell performance is likely to leave fans both proud and wistful.