PHOTO GALLERY: Fluminense beat Al-Hilal, Palmeiras lose to Chelsea at World Cup
Al Hilal's Mohamed Kanno, second from top left, fouls Fluminense's Matheus Martinelli, third from top left, during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Fluminense and Al Hilal in Orlando, Fla., Friday, July 4, 2025. AP
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Fluminense's Gabriel Fuentes guards Al Hilal's Kaio Cesar during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Fluminense and Al Hilal in Orlando, Fla., Friday, July 4, 2025. AP
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Fluminense's Jhon Arias, left, and Al Hilal's Kalidou Koulibaly challenge for the ball during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Fluminense and Al Hilal in Orlando, Fla., Friday, July 4, 2025. AP
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Fluminese players celebrate after a goal during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Fluminense and Al Hilal in Orlando, Fla., Friday, July 4, 2025. AP
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Al Hilal's Renan Lodi, left, and Fluminense's German Cano challenge for the ball during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Fluminense and Al Hilal in Orlando, Fla., Friday, July 4, 2025. AP
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Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah clears the ball past Palmeiras' Jose Manuel Lopez during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Palmeiras and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, July 4, 2025. AP
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Palmeiras' Paulinho, left, and Chelsea's Joao Pedro battle for the ball during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Palmeiras and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, July 4, 2025. AP
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Palmeiras' Estevao gets past Chelsea's Marc Cucurella during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Palmeiras and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, July 4, 2025. AP
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Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez and Palmeiras' Richard Rios battle during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Palmeiras and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, July 4, 2025. AP
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Palmeiras' Richard Rios, left, controls a ball chased by Chelsea's Cole Palmer during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Palmeiras and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, July 4, 2025. AP
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Al-Ahram Weekly
9 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
PHOTO GALLERY: Fluminense beat Al-Hilal, Palmeiras lose to Chelsea at World Cup
- Al Hilal's Mohamed Kanno, second from top left, fouls Fluminense's Matheus Martinelli, third from top left, during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Fluminense and Al Hilal in Orlando, Fla., Friday, July 4, 2025. AP - Fluminense's Gabriel Fuentes guards Al Hilal's Kaio Cesar during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Fluminense and Al Hilal in Orlando, Fla., Friday, July 4, 2025. AP - Fluminense's Jhon Arias, left, and Al Hilal's Kalidou Koulibaly challenge for the ball during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Fluminense and Al Hilal in Orlando, Fla., Friday, July 4, 2025. AP - Fluminese players celebrate after a goal during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Fluminense and Al Hilal in Orlando, Fla., Friday, July 4, 2025. AP - Al Hilal's Renan Lodi, left, and Fluminense's German Cano challenge for the ball during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Fluminense and Al Hilal in Orlando, Fla., Friday, July 4, 2025. AP - Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah clears the ball past Palmeiras' Jose Manuel Lopez during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Palmeiras and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, July 4, 2025. AP - Palmeiras' Paulinho, left, and Chelsea's Joao Pedro battle for the ball during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Palmeiras and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, July 4, 2025. AP - Palmeiras' Estevao gets past Chelsea's Marc Cucurella during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Palmeiras and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, July 4, 2025. AP - Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez and Palmeiras' Richard Rios battle during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Palmeiras and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, July 4, 2025. AP - Palmeiras' Richard Rios, left, controls a ball chased by Chelsea's Cole Palmer during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Palmeiras and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, July 4, 2025. AP
Al-Ahram Weekly
10 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
We deserved to win without being lucky: Chelsea boss after beating Palmeiras
The teenage Brazil forward, who will join Chelsea after the tournament, was eager to impress his future employers and his brilliant 53rd-minute finish cancelled out Cole Palmer's opener in Philadelphia. But a deflected Malo Gusto cross went in off Palmeiras 'keeper Weverton in the 83rd minute to take Chelsea through to a semi-final showdown with another Brazilian side in Fluminense. "In the first half we were in control of the game and could have scored more than one goal," said Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca, dismissing suggestions his team had been fortunate. "They started the second half better than us and the dynamic of the game changed, but then in the last 25 minutes we were in control again and I think we deserved to win without being lucky." The scoreline was a repeat of Chelsea's victory when the teams met in the final of the Club World Cup under the tournament's old guise in 2022. "Overall Chelsea was better. They have better players and a better coach," admitted Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira. "They were lucky with the way they scored the second goal but it can happen in football and we need to accept it and move on." Chelsea will now be fancied to go on and reach the final, with Fluminense standing in their way in the last four at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Tuesday. If not everyone has yet been won over by the tournament, the intensity levels on the pitch are rising as it reaches the business end and there was a big-game atmosphere in Philadelphia. Lincoln Financial Field was almost sold out, with 65,782 fans in attendance despite much of the city having emptied out for the July 4 holiday and long weekend. This game played out to a backdrop of Independence Day fireworks lighting up the sky over the nearby Delaware River, but there were fireworks on the pitch too. Independence Day fireworks Chelsea lit the spark first, going ahead in the 16th minute thanks to a moment of class from England international Palmer. After drifting into a pocket of space just outside the Palmeiras box, Palmer controlled a Trevoh Chalobah pass on the half-turn, carried on into the area and dispatched a low shot past Weverton. It was the ideal start for Chelsea, who lost to Flamengo when they last faced Brazilian opposition in the same stadium during the group stage. Maresca added extra Brazilian flavour to the occasion by handing a first start to young midfielder Andrey Santos. With Moises Caicedo suspended, Santos occupied the holding midfield role for Chelsea while Pedro Neto lined up on the right wing, choosing to play despite having to come to terms with the tragic death of his Portugal teammate Diogo Jota on Thursday. Playing on the right wing for Palmeiras was Estevao, the 18-year-old Brazil prodigy set to join Chelsea in a big-money transfer agreed over a year ago. He knew this could be his last game for the Sao Paulo side, and Chelsea probably should have been two ahead before the interval only for Christopher Nkunku to blaze over after being teed up by Palmer. Instead Palmeiras equalised eight minutes into the second half, with Estevao the inevitable scorer. Positioned inside the Chelsea box to the right, Estevao controlled a pass by Richard Rios and took a touch to get in front of Levi Colwill, another to steady himself, and then surprised goalkeeper Robert Sanchez with an early shot that went in off the bar. Chelsea responded by sending on new signing Joao Pedro for his debut, the Brazilian becoming the 27th player used by Maresca during the tournament. The Blues pushed in search of a second goal but extra time was looking likely when the Premier League side grabbed a scrappy winner with seven minutes of the 90 to play. Following a corner played short, Enzo Fernandez found Malo Gusto and his attempted low centre from the left side of the box deflected off the toe of Agustin Giay to surprise Weverton, with the ball striking him on its way in. Find more details on group standings, match schedules, and competition statistics (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
12 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Brazil starlet Estevao 'ready' for Chelsea move: Palmeiras coach
Estevao, 18, scored a fantastic equaliser in the Club World Cup quarter-final between the teams in Philadelphia but could not prevent Chelsea claiming a 2-1 win thanks to a late own-goal. He will now complete a move to the London club, finally heading to England just over a year after Chelsea agreed to pay Palmeiras a reported 57 million euros ($67.1m), including bonuses, for him. "I don't have sons, I have two daughters, but he is my son," Ferreira said after the match at Lincoln Financial Field, adding that he had exchanged words with Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca about Estevao. "I spoke before with Maresca. He is a nice coach, and I told him that they bought an amazing player but more than this they bought an amazing person. "He is an amazing player and I said that they need to take care of him and embrace him because for sure in the beginning he will make mistakes, but you saw today that he is a player with a lot of skills who can win a game on his own. He has that capacity." Estevao was named the best player in the Brazilian league last year and has shown plenty of glimpses of his potential at the Club World Cup. Now he must try to win a place in the Chelsea team in the face of stiff competition, with Maresca having a wide array of attacking options at his disposal. "For sure he will need the support of the coach and directors because he is young and it is the first time he is leaving his country," Ferreira added. "I told him it won't be the same because the sun comes out two or three times a year, the night comes early, but I believe Chelsea have all the conditions to support him. "He is a fantastic player and I think he is ready." 'Huge talent' Ferreira, the Portuguese coach who has been in charge of Palmeiras since 2020, earlier hugged Estevao in front of reporters, with the player smiling despite the disappointment of his team's exit. Maresca said: "I spoke to Estevao for the first time after the game and told him it was the perfect night because we won and he scored. "You can see he is a huge talent, a fantastic player, and the only thing for me is that when you come from South America or in general another part of the world to Europe, you need to adapt. "So we need to help him to adapt and first of all to be happy, continue to enjoy football, but we don't have any doubt because he is such a good player that he is going to be a very important player for Chelsea." Another future Chelsea player, Jamie Gittens, was in attendance in Philadelphia with the England Under-21 international winger joining from Borussia Dortmund. "Jamie was here tonight and was on the pitch and will be with us for probably another day or two," Maresca said. "He will then go on holiday and come back when we start the new season." Find more details on group standings, match schedules, and competition statistics (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Short link:
