-
Chelsea’s Joao Pedro scores their second goal
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was pleased with his team’s showing at the Club World Cup as they made it to the international competition’s final following a 2-0 semi-final win over Fluminense on Tuesday.
Joao Pedro kept the celebrations to a minimum after scoring twice to send Chelsea into the Club World Cup final, his goals proving the undoing of his former club Fluminense in a bittersweet meeting at MetLife Stadium.
The 23-year-old Brazilian forward, who joined Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion six days ago, found the net in the 18th minute with a superb strike and again early in the second half with another excellent finish to seal his team’s 2-0 victory and passage to the final.
He held his hands up apologetically after each strike against the club where he spent his formative years, even as his teammates swarmed around him on the pitch, only briefly cracking a smile after the second goal.
Pedro joined a month after Chelsea signed English striker Liam Delap, as the club moved to plug a forward shortage. Maresca praised Pedro for his performance but feels Pedro won’t stay that way for long. The Chelsea manager also pointed out that having fresh players coming from a month-long break has bridged the gap between the South American and European teams in this tournament. Chelsea face the winner of the second semi-final on Wednesday between Paris St Germain and Real Madrid. The final is set for Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Fluminense’s trip to the Club World Cup semi-final should net Brazilian coaches more respect, the club’s manager Renato Portaluppi, also known as Renato Gaucho, after their improbable deep run in the tournament.
A former player for the Brazilian side, who steered the team to the 1995 Rio de Janeiro championship, turned them from relegation battlers into tournament threats in the span of just three months as manager.
A critic of the influx of foreign coaches in Brazilian club football, Portaluppi hopes the strong showing will shine a light on talent among Brazilian managers.
South American fans brought a party atmosphere to the Club World Cup and their teams produced some thrilling surprise results against their European counterparts, in a tournament that organisers hoped would showcase the sport’s global talent.
The final South American team in the tournament can leave with their heads held high, said Portaluppi, promising to maintain momentum for their fans back home.
