Rabat – After a strong start in Philadelphia, Chelsea now turn their focus to a tougher challenge as they face Flamengo in their Second Club World Cup fixture this Friday.
Enzo Maresca’s side began the tournament with a 2-0 victory over LAFC on Monday evening.
Pedro Neto opened the scoring before Enzo Fernandez doubled the lead with a well-placed header, meeting a precise cross from Liam Delap.
The young forward, recently signed by the club, made a strong impression with his energy and decisive contribution.
Another win could place the Blues in a comfortable position for a round-of-16 spot, but Flamengo arrive in top form.
Under the guidance of former Chelsea full-back Filipe Luis, the Brazilian side have kept seven clean sheets in their last eight matches and sit at the top of their domestic league after 11 rounds.
Flamengo vs Chelsea kicks off at 7 pm GMT+1 on Friday, June 20, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. While the match won’t air on UK television, fans can follow the action online through Channel5.com or DAZN.com, which are offering free streams. A live blog will also run throughout the matchday on Standard Sport.
What to expect
Maresca is expected to keep changes to a minimum, though Liam Delap may start in place of Nicolas Jackson after his standout performance against LAFC.
In defence, Trevoh Chalobah could return to the lineup alongside Levi Colwill, giving Chelsea a solid base against Flamengo’s quick front line.
The Brazilians enter the match unbeaten in 15 of their last 16 games, with five consecutive wins across all competitions. Chelsea, however, also bring momentum, fresh off a 4-1 triumph in the Conference League final and a run of four straight victories.
The two teams carry confidence and purpose into this clash, but Chelsea’s quality in depth and recent performances could give them the edge.
Prediction: Chelsea 2 – Flamengo 1
