An amazing Flamengo triumph over Chelsea on Friday.
Philadelphia—Chelsea's Club World Cup season was in jeopardy after six minutes on Friday.
Flamengo defeated the Blues 1-0 on a hot Philadelphia day, stopping them from reaching the round of 16. A protracted Miami training camp for a late run and £97 million grand prize would benefit Chelsea.
Around an hour later, something changed. Bruno Henrique and Danilo's close-range goals erased Pedro Neto's 13th-minute magic. Nicolas Jackson was sent off after a brutal tackle on Ayrton Lucas. Wallace Yan's late third goal earned Flamengo a well-deserved win. The thousands of red-and-black-striped fans near the second-half goal were thrilled.
Chelsea and coach Enzo Maresca are lambasted for this performance. Right: Cole Palmer, middle: Reece James. Palmer requested the No. 10 shirt yesterday, but Maresca encouraged him to give up centre, his strongest position.
Palmer fell behind after 15 touches and 3 passes in the first half. After 32 touches, Palmer retired in the 82nd minute as Chelsea tried to win with 10 men.
After losing, Maresca said, "We tried to use a new game method for the next season and beyond." "We have one more game, and we will do our best to win it."
Jackson will be criticised more. His single second-half substitute touch was a late lunge in front of Salvadoran referee Iván Arcides Barton Cisneros after four minutes. Newcastle fired Jackson in early May for a bad decision that hurt Champions League hopes. Chelsea qualified from Group D without Liam Delap, but he will play against Esperance Sportive de Tunis on Wednesday at Lincoln Financial Field.
Chelsea now have a higher chance of not leading the group and facing Bayern Munich in the Round of 16. The club's owners cherish this tournament for its money, therefore this game would test the team's winning abilities.
Chelsea's proof is insufficient. Maresca prioritises wins, player minutes, and 2025-26 preparation like other long-season managers in the U.S. This delicate balance needs improvement. The hungry team had 54,019 eager fans to start the competition.
After Maresca moved Cole Palmer to the flank and brought back Enzo Fernández, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, Jorginho, and Erick Pulgar should struggle against Chelsea's speed and athleticism Flamengo trailed one goal at halftime, showing that experience and expertise may help.
Filipe Luis' team made a first-half mistake but wasn't weaker.
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