12th February, 2022
Chelsea are now the World Club Champions after beating Palmeiras to the FIFA Club World Cup on Saturday.
Thomas Tuchel’s men defeated the team from Brazil by two goals to one.
Chelsea took the lead through Romelu Lukaku but a Thiago Silva handball led to our Brazilian opponents equalizing.
Kai Havertz, the man whose Champions League final goal qualified Chelsea for the FIFA Club World Cup tournament, however, scored a penalty with three minutes of extra-time remaining to ensure the Blues become champions of the world and completed their trophy collection.
The decisive spot-kick was awarded for handball, the second such decision during this slow burner of a game in Abu Dhabi.
Chelsea have now joined Manchester United and Liverpool as the only English winners of this trophy and they also join Man United as well as German giants Bayern Munich as the only clubs to achieve the clean sweep of the FIFA Club World Cup plus all the major UEFA trophies (European Cup/Champions League, UEFA Cup/Europa League, Cup Winners’ Cup and Super Cup).
On an individual level, Cesar Azpilicueta, the only player today who carried the pain of losing in this final in 2012, has now added this winners’ medal to the ones he has collected for the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, and League Cup.
Team Selection and other details
Chelsea Mendy; Christensen (Sarr f-t), Thiago Silva, Rudiger; Azpilicueta (c), Kante, Kovacic (Ziyech f-t), Hudson-Odoi (Saul 76); Mount (Pulisic 31), Lukaku (Werner 76), Havertz.
Unused subs Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Alonso, Chalobah, Jorginho, Barkley, Kenedy.
Scorers Lukaku 55, Havertz 117 pen
Booked Havertz 118
Palmeiras Weverton; Rocha, Gomez (c), Luan, Piquerez; Danilo, Ze Rafael (Jailson 60); Dudu (Rafael Navarro 103), Veiga (Atuesta 76), Scarpa; Rony (Wesley 76).
Unused subs Mateus, Marcelo Lomba, Kuscevic, Jorge, Mayke, Deyverson, Breno Lopes, Murilo Cerqueira
Scorer Veiga 64
Sent off Luan 126
Booked Welsey 105, Luan 116, Atuesta 116
Referee Chris Beath from Australia
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