Chelsea entered the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final against Fluminense with a young, fast-paced squad and a complete physical foundation.
Against an experienced but slow Fluminense, coach Enzo Maresca's team proactively increased the tempo from the start and quickly dominated the game.
The first half witnessed the dominance of the English representative. Chelsea controlled the ball nearly 60%, with double the number of shots compared to their opponents. The attacking trio Neto, Christopher Nkunku and Joao Pedro continuously changed positions, making it difficult for Fluminense's defense to join the team.
In the 18th minute, Joao Pedro took advantage of the space in front of the penalty area to launch a powerful shot that defeated goalkeeper Fabio, opening the score for Chelsea. This was also his first goal since joining the club in early July.
After conceding the goal, Fluminense tried to push up to find an equalizer but could hardly create any dangerous situations. The Brazilian team's high-profile performances were continuously neutralized by Chelsea's defense.
In the second half, Chelsea continued to maintain an encroachment against their opponents. In the 56th minute, Joao Pedro once again shone with a beautiful shot that doubled the gap for the London team.
With a 2-goal advantage, Chelsea played solidly and waited for a counter-attack opportunity. Meanwhile, Fluminense tried their best to make a breakthrough. They launched 5 more shots but only one of them hit the goal, unable to trouble goalkeeper Sanchez.
In the end, Chelsea won 2-0 against Fluminense and became the first team to qualify for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final. Their opponent will be the winner of the semi-final between Real Madrid and PSG.
