Chelsea wins the Club World Cup in extra time



The Chelsea English won this Saturday by 2-1 to the Brazilian Palmeirasin a balanced final played in the United Arab Emirates, in which he won the title of Club World Cup that he had not been able to achieve a decade ago when he lost it to another Brazilian rival, Corinthians.

The goals of the European champion were converted by the Belgian Romelu Lukaku and the German Kai Havertz, from a penaltywhile Rafael Veigaalso from 11 meters, discounted for Palmeiras.

The 2 teams reached the final with the frustration of having lost the title in previous editions.

Chelsea fell in 2012 just before the Brazilian Corinthians, Palmeiras' historic backyard rival, while the "Verdao" from Sao Paulo, who was eliminated in the semifinal last year, lost in 1999 against the English Manchester United in the Intercontinental Cupwhich was replaced by the Club World Cup.

For this final, Chelsea was able to count on the German coach Thomas Tuchel, who served a quarantine after having tested positive for covid-19 in London, recovered and managed to arrive in the Emirati capital the day before.

Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who played and won the African Cup of Nations with his country, rejoined the team and was lined up as the starter, replacing Spaniard Kepa Arrizabalaga, who played in the semifinal (1-0) against the Saudi team Al-Hillal of Riyadh, Asian champion.

Tuchel, in addition to the change of goalkeeper, lined up Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi and the Frenchman N'Golo Kantú in the places of the Italian-Brazilian Jorginho, the Moroccan Hakim Ziyech and the Spanish Marcos Alonso.

For the Palmeiras, the Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira kept the same 11 starters that in the semifinal defeated the Egyptian club Al-Ahly from Cairo 2-0African champion.

The game, with the majority of Palmeiras fans in the stands, started moving, with attacks and responses from side to sidebut as the minutes went by, Chelsea looked looser, mainly due to the push from the first line of the experienced Brazilian defender Thiago Silva and the free kicks.

But Palmeiras was not shy and also risked counterattacks, almost always driven by the power of striker Rony, who was unable to finish.

In the first half, Chelsea lost Mount due to injury.who was relieved by the American creative Christian Pulisic.

At the beginning of the second half, when the teams settled down again, Hudson-Odoi was projected from the left and Lukaku jumped past Luan to connect with a header to make it 1-0. partial at 54 minutes.

The São Paulo team did not lower their guard and in an attack the rival defender Thiago Silva deflected a ball with his hand that would go to the Paraguayan defender and captain Gustavo Gómez. With the support of the VAR, the Australian referee Chris Beath sanctioned the penalty that was converted by Raphael Veiga in the 63rd minute.

In extra time, at 98 minutes, Chelsea's German reserve Timo Wermer crashed a shot off the crossbar of the goal defended by Wéverton.

The winning goal for the 'Blues' also came via VAR that alerted referee Beath about a questionable handball in the area by Luan and in the charge Havertz decreed the 2-1 at 116 minutes of play.

With another VAR intervention, defender Luan was sent off after 120 minutes for a treacherous foul on Havertz.

The Uruguayan Joaquín Piquerez y Gómez acted in the South American team for 120 minutes, while the Colombian Eduard Atuesta entered in the final minutes.

Thiago Silva and the Spaniard started for the English team César Azpilicueta. The also Iberian Saúl Ñíguez came into action for the second half.

Data sheet:

2-Chelsea: Edward Mendy; Andreas Christensen (m.90, Malang Sarr), Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger; Cesar Azpilicueta, Mason Mount (m.30, Christian Pulisic), N'Golo Kanté, Mateo Kovacic (m.90, Hakim Ziyech, Callum Hudson-Odoi (m.75, Saúl Ñíguez); Kai Havertz and Romelu Lukaku (m. 75, Timo Werner).

1 - Palm trees: Weverton; Marcos Rocha (m.117, Déyverson), Gustavo Gómez, Luan, Joaquín Piquerez; Danilo, Zé Rafael (m.59, Jailson), Gustavo Scarpa; Raphael Veiga (m.76, Eduard Atuesta); Dudú (m.102, Rafael Navarro) and Rony (m.76, Wésley).

Goals: 1-0, m.54: Romelu Lukaku. 1-1, m.63, Raphael Veiga. (penalty). 2-1, m.116: Kai Havertz (penalty).

Referee: The Australian Chris Beath, who was helped on the wings by his compatriots Anton Shchetinin and Ashley Beecham, expelled Luan (m.120) and admonished Wésley and Atuesta.

Incidents: Match for the final of the 2021 Club World Cup played at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi before 32,871 spectators. Chelsea was crowned champion.



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