Chelsea win Club World Cup for first time in history
Chelsea won the Club World Cup for the first time in their history, as Kai Havertz scored a 117th minute penalty kick to edge the Blues past Palmeiras.
The trophy is Chelsea’s 21st under owner Roman Abramovich and the Club World Cup was the only major trophy they had failed to win.
Now, Thomas Tuchel’s side are the best club team on the planet.
A tight, tense final in Abu Dhabi saw Romelu Lukaku give Chelsea the lead but Raphael Veiga equalized through a penalty kick for the Brazilian giants.
Havertz then won it in extra time to send the Chelsea fans wild as the reigning European champions are now the Club World Cup champions.
Lukaku strikes after tense start
Palmeiras caused plenty of problems in the first half and Edouard Mendy was called into action on a few occasions.
After 30 minutes Mason Mount went off injured, as USMNT star Christian Pulisic came on and was lively. Thiago Silva had a long-range shot tipped wide and from that corner Antonio Rudiger headed over.
In the second half Chelsea dominated play and Rudiger smashed a long-range shot just over.
Lukaku then broke the deadlock as he headed home Callum Hudson-Odoi’s fantastic cross from the left to make it 1-0.
Moments later Pulisic almost made it 2-0 as he curled a beauty from distance which flew inches wide of the post.
Chelsea were then penalized for a handball in the box, as a cross into the box hit the raised hand of Thiago Silva and Palmeiras were handed (literally) a way back into the game.
Raphael Veiga smashed home the penalty to make it 1-1.
Pulisic slotted a shot just wide as Chelsea tried to regain control, but the game went to extra time as the Blues pushed hard for a winner.
Timo Werner looked to be offside as he crossed, but Pulisic wasn’t to know and his shot, under pressure from defenders, was bundled onto the crossbar and away.
In the 117th minute Cesar Azpilicueta’s shot hit the outstretched arm of Luan Garcia, and a penalty kick was given after the referee once again used the VAR monitors.
Havertz stepped up and slotted home superbly to win the Club World Cup for Chelsea.
