Chelsea vs SE Palmeiras
Little by Little. Without much noise or fanfare, there they are. In the semis. Top 4 in the world. Head down and getting things done, as Chelsea usually does when they go on a historic cup run. From Conference League winners to world champions. Has a nice ring to it. It wouldn’t be too crazy to think that the Blues can go all the way now, but they have a tough matchup against Fluminense up first. Can never overlook Brazilian teams. Palmeiras gave a valiant effort yesterday. 4th of July and we got to see fireworks on the pitch thanks to their flair. We’ll miss covering their incredible fans, who made every stop on their journey a memorable one. Not a bad way to spend the holiday last night in Philly.
Photography by: Rodolfho Chona
It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t perfect. But it was enough.
Chelsea clawed their way into the FIFA Club World Cup semifinals on Friday night with a narrow 2-1 win over Brazil’s Palmeiras, courtesy of a Cole Palmer stunner and a late slice of luck in the form of an 83rd-minute own goal from goalkeeper Weverton.
At Lincoln Financial Field, Enzo Maresca’s side controlled long stretches of the game but were pushed to the brink by a spirited Palmeiras second-half resurgence—led, ironically, by their own future player.
That future star, 18-year-old Estêvão Willian, equalized just after halftime with a thunderbolt from a tight angle, a goal that will live long in the tournament highlight reels and Chelsea’s scouting dreams.
“It was a tough game, as we expected,” Maresca admitted post-match. “They’re fresh, at the beginning of their season, and we’re at the end of ours. But credit to the players—they dug deep.”
Chelsea had opened brightly, dominating possession despite missing midfield mainstays Moisés Caicedo and Roméo Lavia, and being forced into a late reshuffle when Reece James pulled up injured pre-match. In his place, 21-year-old Andrey Santos made his long-awaited debut start.
Palmer, once again the creative heartbeat, gave Chelsea a deserved lead in the 16th minute. After a slick one-two with Trevoh Chalobah, the England international danced through a forest of legs and slotted coolly into the bottom corner.
But Chelsea couldn’t convert their dominance into a second goal. Christopher Nkunku blasted over with only Weverton to beat, and Enzo Fernández had a rocket from range pushed wide.
Palmeiras offered little in the first half but returned from the break with fresh energy. Estêvão, the man Chelsea will officially welcome next season, announced himself emphatically—cutting inside Levi Colwill and lashing an unstoppable shot in off the bar.
“He’s a top player,” said Palmer. “You can see why everyone’s excited.”
Just as the Brazilians seemed to have seized momentum, Chelsea snatched it back—thanks to a heavy dose of fortune. Malo Gusto’s low cross ricocheted off Bruno Fuchs and bounced off Weverton’s back before spinning into the net.
Palmeiras pushed late for another equalizer, but Chelsea held firm. Substitute João Pedro nearly made it 3-1 with two late chances, including a shot palmed onto the post.
“Details decided the match,” said Palmeiras boss Abel Ferreira. “We fought until the end. I’m proud, but also disappointed.”
With the win, Chelsea set up a semifinal clash on Tuesday in New Jersey against Fluminense—a meeting that now includes Thiago Silva facing his old club and a rematch of sorts for Estêvão, who’s already making his mark on both sides of the future.
