Chelsea opened their FIFA Club World Cup journey with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Los Angeles FC (LAFC), relying on a second-half spark from their latest signing to break the deadlock.
LAFC, who secured a last-minute spot in the tournament in late May following León’s withdrawal, entered the contest with limited preparation time.
READ ALSO: Liam Delap signs long-term deal with Chelsea until 2031
Despite this, they put up a spirited fight and managed to contain the Premier League giants for long stretches of the match in Atlanta — a venue that saw swathes of empty seats.
The breakthrough came in the 34th minute when Pedro Neto finished off a well-timed through ball from Nicolas Jackson, drilling a low shot past Hugo Lloris at the near post.
Jackson nearly added a second shortly after the break, only to be denied by some last-ditch defending. Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez then made his first real contribution, thwarting LAFC’s key threat, Denis Bouanga, with a sharp save.
The MLS outfit grew into the game and created problems for Chelsea as the minutes ticked by. But the Blues eventually asserted their dominance, sealing the win in the closing stages.
Substitute Liam Delap injected energy and drive, delivering a precise lofted cross that Enzo Fernandez volleyed home to wrap up the result.
Chelsea now move forward in the competition with confidence, while LAFC can take pride in a competitive display against one of Europe’s elite sides.
