Chelsea endured a disastrous second half as they fell 3-1 to Flamengo in their Fifa Club World Cup group stage clash, with substitute Nicolas Jackson receiving a red card just four minutes after coming on. The Blues had started brightly, taking the lead through Pedro Neto’s composed finish under the goalkeeper’s legs, but their advantage quickly unraveled after the break. Flamengo responded with two close-range goals in quick succession — both arriving from the far post as Bruno Henrique and Danilo capitalized on lapses in Chelsea’s defence.
The situation worsened when Jackson, brought on by manager Enzo Maresca to turn the tide, was sent off almost immediately for a reckless studs-up challenge on Lucas Ayrton. The challenge left referee Ivan Barton with little choice but to issue a straight red. Wallace Yan then sealed Chelsea’s misery with a late goal, completing a six-minute meltdown that leaves the Premier League side’s hopes hanging in the balance.
Chelsea now face African champions ES Tunis on Tuesday in what is effectively a must-win match to secure progression to the last 16. Even with a victory, they may still have to face the winner of Group C — potentially Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich — adding pressure to an already precarious situation. Meanwhile, Flamengo’s win puts them in pole position to top Group D and maintain the South American clubs’ unbeaten run in the newly-expanded Club World Cup format.
Jackson’s dismissal came on his 24th birthday and significantly altered the course of the game — though not in the way he or Chelsea would have hoped. Intended as a response to the team’s faltering momentum, his introduction only added to Chelsea’s woes. Already suspended in the Premier League, Jackson will now also miss the next Club World Cup fixture, raising further concerns over his disciplinary issues. Just two matches ago, he had seemingly redeemed himself with a goal in the Conference League final against Real Betis, but this latest incident marks another setback.
Despite the loss, Pedro Neto was one of the few bright spots for Chelsea, notching his second goal in as many games and posing a consistent threat. However, the rest of the squad looked unsettled, with four changes to the starting lineup and a tactical reshuffle failing to produce cohesion. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez struggled with distribution, repeatedly misplacing passes from the back, while Liam Delap offered little up front on his first start, leaving Maresca with several selection dilemmas ahead of the next game.
Statistically, Flamengo dominated across the board — enjoying superior possession, creating more chances, winning more tackles and duels, and most importantly, scoring more goals. The Brazilian side looked sharp and clinical, while Chelsea appeared disjointed and short of ideas once they fell behind.
Both sides will return to action on Tuesday night, with Chelsea taking on ES Tunis and Flamengo set to face LAFC. The matches, kicking off simultaneously at 21:00 local time (02:00 BST), will determine the final standings in Group D and decide each team’s path in the knockout stages.