Chelsea Get Off to Winning Start Against LAFC in Sparsely Attended Club World Cup Opener

Chelsea kicked off their Club World Cup campaign with a solid 2-0 victory over LAFC, thanks to goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez, the win gives the Blues exactly the kind of start they were hoping for as they look to make a statement in this competition especially after their UEFA Conference League success and return to the Champions League.

But if you were watching on TV, you might have noticed something odd about the atmosphere. Despite playing at the impressive 71,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, only just over 22,000 fans showed up – leaving the venue looking surprisingly empty for such a high-profile match.

The scheduling didn’t do the organizers any favors. A 3:00 pm Monday kickoff seemed designed more for British television audiences than local fans, and it showed. Even in a city where Atlanta United regularly draws strong crowds, asking people to take a Monday afternoon off work proved to be a tough sell. The stadium’s upper deck was completely closed off, and even the lower levels weren’t close to full, despite ticket prices being slashed in the days leading up to the game.

LAFC, who only secured their spot in May after beating Club America in a playoff (replacing the banned Mexican side Club Leon), knew they faced an uphill battle. Their goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, the former Tottenham keeper, was refreshingly honest before the match, admitting his team’s chances were “really thin” against Chelsea.

Lloris wasn’t wrong to be concerned. Chelsea came out flying from the opening whistle, with Nicolas Jackson looking particularly sharp – clearly a player determined to cement his starting position, with new signing Liam Delap watching from the bench. Jackson had Lloris scrambling early on, and he also set up Noni Madueke for another good chance that the French keeper dealt with well.

Cole Palmer was pulling the strings in midfield, nearly finding the net with a strike that whistled just over the crossbar. But it was Jackson’s excellent through ball that unlocked the game, releasing Pedro Neto down the flank. The Portuguese winger made it look easy, cutting inside to leave LAFC defender Ryan Hollingshead grasping at thin air before burying a powerful shot past Lloris at the near post.

LAFC tried to respond after the break, bringing on former Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud to add some firepower up front. They had their moments too – Denis Bouanga, the 2023 MLS Golden Boot winner, came close to equalizing but was denied by a brilliant save from Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez, who stretched out his leg to make the stop.

The introduction of Delap after an hour marked an exciting moment for Chelsea fans. The 22-year-old striker, fresh from relegated Ipswich Town, made an immediate impact on his debut. His first meaningful touch saw him drive into space and set up a promising opportunity, and it was his cross from the right that led to Chelsea’s second goal.

Enzo Fernandez was in the right place at the right time, controlling Delap’s delivery in the six-yard box before finishing past Lloris to seal the victory. Palmer had another chance to get on the scoresheet but hammered his effort over the bar, while LAFC kept pushing forward with Marc Cucurella making a crucial block to deny David Martinez.

The win puts Chelsea in a strong position in Group D, where they’ll be watching the later match between Tunisia’s Esperance and Brazil’s Flamengo with interest. For LAFC, playing all three of their group games away from California was always going to be challenging, but they’ll need to regroup quickly if they want to make their mark in this tournament.

Despite the disappointing crowd, the match itself delivered plenty of quality, and Chelsea will be pleased with how their new signings are settling in. With the Conference League triumph behind them and Champions League football back on the horizon, this Club World Cup represents another step in their journey back to the top table of European football.