Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga played the hero for the Blues, preventing a second-half equalizer in his team's 1-0 win in the Club World Cup semifinal. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)
Club World Cup: Chelsea slips past Al Hilal to reach final
Mexican referee César Ramos was in charge of the Club World Cup semifinal between Chelsea and Al Hilal. Here he prepares to show a yellow card to Al Hilal’s Ali Hadi Albulayhi. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
After a dominant first half featuring an opportunistic goal from Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea had to rely on goalie Kepa Arrizabalaga to reach its second-ever FIFA Club World Cup final where they’ll face Brazil’s Palmeiras.
The Blues enjoyed 61% possession in the first 45 minutes of Wednesday’s contest, much of it on the Al Hilal side of the pitch. The Saudi Arabian club maintained tactical discipline, however, preventing Chelsea from getting a good look at goal.
In minute 32, Kai Havertz got to the end line on the left side of the box but his centering pass was blocked. The German recovered quickly and lashed a low cross that surprised Yasheer al-Shahrani at the back post (it just barely cleared a crowd right in front of the left back). The ball ricocheted off his face and Lukaku blasted it into the net from point-blank range.
Chelsea looked likely to score again but Abdullah al-Mayouf made several nice saves to keep Al Hilal in the match.
Midway through the second half, the Asian Football Confederation Champions started flowing forward. Al Hilal got off a flurry of shots between minute 65 and 70, two of which required fantastic saves by Kepa. Suddenly it seemed more likely that the Saudi team would equalize.
The Blues settled down thereafter and saw out the victory with Mexican ref César Ramos blowing the whistle to signal the end of the match after 3 minutes of added time.
First-time Club World Cup champ to be crowned
Palmeiras – the Copa Libertadores champion – had qualified for the Club World Cup final on Tuesday, defeating Egypt’s Al Ahly 2-0 behind goals from Raphael Veiga (39’) and Dudu (49’). The Brazilians will take on the UEFA Champions League winners on Saturday in Abu Djhabi’s Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.
This is the first Club World Cup final for Palmeiras and the eighth time for a Brazilian team. Chelsea is in its second final, tying Liverpool for the most among English teams.
This will be the fourth time a Brazilian team and an EPL side square off in the FIFA Club World Cup final (Sao Paulo 1, Liverpool 0 in 2005; Corinthians 1, Chelsea 0 in 2012; and, Liverpool 1, Flamengo 0 in 2019).
Monterrey salvages a bit of pride
The Rayados managed a 3-1 victory over Al Jazira in a consolation match to determine fifth place in this year’s Club World Cup. Despite the comfortable win, Monterrey did little to salve the wounds left from its surprise loss to Al Ahly in the quarterfinals.
After an own-goal by Zayed Sultán in minute 4, Rogelio Funes Mori (11’) and César Montes (25’) basically put the game to bed before the half-hour mark.
The Concacaf Champions League holders did not acquit themselves well in the second half, however, missing opportunities to extend the lead. Rodolfo Pizarro was the primary culprit as he flubbed a 1-on-1 chance inside 15 meters then mishandled a drop pass that would have provided him a clear shot on goal.
Bruno narrowed the gap for the Emirati club with a nifty goal in minute 90+1.
