João Pedro became the hero for Chelsea as they crushed Fluminense 2-0 and marched into the Club World Cup final. The striker netted twice during his very first start for the Blues. Pedro curled home a stunning strike near the 20-minute mark that found the far corner perfectly. His second goal proved just as spectacular when he hammered a shot that smacked the crossbar before bouncing over the line.
Pedro kept his emotions in check after both goals because of his history with Fluminense. The academy graduate spent eight years coming up through their youth system before moving to Watford and eventually landing at Chelsea. Manager Enzo Maresca gave Pedro the nod to start because Liam Delap picked up a suspension. The gamble worked out perfectly as Pedro delivered when it mattered most.
Fluminense nearly spoiled the party right after Pedro opened the scoring. Marc Cucurella made a crucial goal-line clearance to bail out keeper Robert Sanchez. The referee almost handed Fluminense a penalty when Trevoh Chalobah appeared to handle the ball, but VAR stepped in to reverse the call. Chelsea dodged a major bullet that could have changed everything.
The victory sets up a final showdown against either Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid this Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Pedro's brilliant display puts pressure on Nicolas Jackson, who was the main striker before recent signings arrived. Maresca faces tough decisions about his attacking lineup moving forward.
Pedro kept his emotions in check after both goals because of his history with Fluminense. The academy graduate spent eight years coming up through their youth system before moving to Watford and eventually landing at Chelsea. Manager Enzo Maresca gave Pedro the nod to start because Liam Delap picked up a suspension. The gamble worked out perfectly as Pedro delivered when it mattered most.
Fluminense nearly spoiled the party right after Pedro opened the scoring. Marc Cucurella made a crucial goal-line clearance to bail out keeper Robert Sanchez. The referee almost handed Fluminense a penalty when Trevoh Chalobah appeared to handle the ball, but VAR stepped in to reverse the call. Chelsea dodged a major bullet that could have changed everything.
The victory sets up a final showdown against either Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid this Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Pedro's brilliant display puts pressure on Nicolas Jackson, who was the main striker before recent signings arrived. Maresca faces tough decisions about his attacking lineup moving forward.
