Joao Pedro double fires Chelsea into Club World Cup final
AFNEWS reporter
Jul 09, 2025
Joao Pedro double fires Chelsea into Club World Cup final
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Joao Pedro scored twice on his full Chelsea debut as the Premier League side secured a place in the Club World Cup final - and a lucrative payday - with a 2-0 win over Fluminense.
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The Brazil forward, who only completed his £60million move from Brighton last week, struck in style in each half as Chelsea overcame his first professional club and sweltering conditions in New York on Tuesday.
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Their reward for victory is a guaranteed cash prize of around £80million and the chance to play for a jackpot exceeding £90m in Sunday's final against Real Madrid or Paris St Germain.
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Manager Enzo Maresca handed Pedro, who made his debut off the bench in the quarter-final defeat of Palmeiras, his first start in the absence of the suspended Liam Delap.
It was a decision which paid very rich dividends as Chelsea battled past a Fluminense side who, captained by veteran former Blues defender Thiago Silva, had defied expectations to reach the last four.
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The temperature was around 34C at kick-off at MetLife Stadium and Chelsea were playing their 63rd game of a season that began last August.
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Yet they still made a strong start with the influential Enzo Fernandez having a shot blocked and then floating in a free-kick which Tosin Adarabioyo headed wide.
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Pedro Neto was also lively and it was his break down the left which led to Pedro's stunning opener on 18 minutes.
Neto whipped in a cross which was cleared only as far as the former Brighton striker on the edge of the area and he brilliantly curled a shot beyond 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio.
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It was a spectacular way to open his account for his new club but Pedro's celebrations were notably muted, almost apologetic, in front of the Fluminense fans.
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Chelsea could have immediately doubled their lead after Neto picked out Malo Gusto but the Frenchman's stooping header was straight at Fabio.
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They were almost made to regret that miss when Hercules broke through and rounded Robert Sanchez but Marc Cucurella cleared off the line.
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Chelsea had another scare when French referee Francois Letexier pointed to the penalty spot after a Fluminense cross flicked the head of Thiago Santos and then struck the arm of Trevoh Chalobah.
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It seemed a harsh decision and was reversed following a VAR review.
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Chelsea threatened again before the break when a Neto strike was deflected wide and Sanchez came to their rescue after the restart when he saved from Everaldo.
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Pedro struck the decisive blow on 56 minutes as Chelsea broke from deep inside their own half. Fernandez found Pedro with a superb through-ball and he cut inside Ignacio to hit a thunderous shot in off the underside of the bar.
From then it became a case of seeing out the job and, although booked for time-wasting, Chelsea keeper Sanchez was not troubled.
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On the downside, Moises Caicedo appeared to pick up an injury in the closing stages.
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Nicolas Jackson could have added a third goal when he fired into the side-netting.
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— AFNEWS reporter