Chelsea players celebrate after scoring against Los Angeles FC at the FIFA Club World Championship. (Reuters) On Monday, Chelsea secured 2-0 victory against Los Angeles FC in its World Cup club D, with the targets from Pedro Net and Enzo Fernandez, while the new signature made Liam Delap debuted as a replacement before the alternating crowd 22 000 22 000.The match was described by Chelsea’s first step in their campaign after their triumph and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.Coach Chelsea Enzo Maresca appreciated the performance of the team and Delap.“The good thing about Liam is that he knows how we want to play, so the process is quite fast,” said Italian.“The environment was a bit strange, the stadium was almost empty, not full,” Maresca told reporters.15:00 local time on Monday affected participation, although the closed roof of the stadium provided shelter before the summer heat of Georgia.A small group of LAFC supporters, hundreds of numbers, maintained the atmosphere with drums and songs for Hugo Lloris.LAFC entered the competition after defeating Club America in the May playoffs and replaced the forbidden Mexican side club Leon.Low attendance, with the upper ring completely closed and another level partially filled despite reduced ticket prices, meant the first major challenge for the extended FIFA competition.The tournament serves as a test run for the World Championship in 2026, which will host the US, Canada and Mexico together.Chelsea dominated in early driving when Lloris rescued attempts by Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke, while Cole Palmer shot just above.Jackson, who competed for his initial position with the new arrival of Delap watching from the bench, played a key role in the opening goal.The attacker gave an excellent Neto ball that skillfully maneuver around La Defender Ryan Hollingshead before scoring with a strong shot almost.Introduction former striker Chelsea Olivier Giroud in half -time helped improve LAFC performance in the second half.Chelsea faced pressure because the goalkeeper Sanchez made a major savings against Denis Bouang, the winner of the Golden Boot 2023 MLS, after liberating himself from Neto’s marking.Delap debuted after an hour’s mark, immediately showing a promise by trying to set up Fernandez.The match ended with Fernandez, who scored the second goal of Chelsea, dominated Delap Cross from the right and defeated Lloris in a six yard box.Coach La Cherundolo dealt with concern for attendance with a measured reaction.“As far as crowds are concerned, I think it’s something different, every game you are looking at, I don’t think we should talk about it right now,” Cherundolo said. “I think we should wait until the end of the tournament … (to be about it as a whole, unlike one game.”Boca juniors denied BenficaArgentinesBenfica secured a dramatic draw of 2-2 against the Juniors Boca in the World Cup Cup match in Miami Gardens, with Argentine international Angel di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi scoring for the Portuguese side. Although Benfica was reduced to 10 men, she fought from a 2-0 deficit to deny the victory of Boca Juniors in what was basically a home game for the Argentine club.Boca Juniors founded a commanding lead through Miguel Miguel and Rodrig Battaglia. The atmosphere was electric with 55,574 spectators, mostly Boca supporters and filled the Hard Rock stadium.Thousands of Boca fans gathered at Miami Beach for traditional “banderazo” over the weekend and created a festive atmosphere with the singing and waving the flag in the heat.The match began with intensive pressure from the juniors of Boc and showed their determination to prove against European competition. The first major reaction of the crowd came when Di Maria received a heavy challenge from behind.Lautaro Blanco’s skillful game led to the opening goal at the 21st minute. He defeated Benfica’s Florentino with nutmeg before he added a low cross that Merentiel cleverly converted.Boca doubled her lead six minutes later when Battaglia headed home from a near range and connected with the head of Ayrton Costa from the corner of Kevin Zenon.Benfica returned to the game through a prison of the award -winning VAR, which included a red card for the already replaced midfielder Boc andr Herrera for the protesters. Di Maria transformed a spot kick just before the half.The match turned when Benfica Andrea Belotti received a red card at 71. A minute for a dangerous high kick in the head of Ayrton Costa.Although Benfica was a man down, she found an equalizer via Otamendi, who headed for the corner kick of Orkun Kokca. The match ended with Boca’s Nicolas Figal to receive a red card for a dangerous challenge in Florentino.“We stayed with a bitter taste because we thought we could win it. We gave our everything, we competed, we ran … We played as we needed, but we left a bitter taste because we didn’t know how to use a more advantageous man.“We tried to win. We know what Argentine’s football is. We knew how we had to play, but we didn’t play that way in the first half. We needed a little more. We played much better in the second half.Bayern Munich and Auckland FC are other teams in Group C Club World Cup.FIFA World Championship results:Group C: Boca Juniors 2-2 Benfica (Merentiel 21 ‘, Battaglia 27’; di Maria 45+3 ‘Pen, Otamendi 84’)Group D: Chelsea 2-0 Los Angeles FC (Neto 34 ‘, Fernandez 79’)Group D: Flamengo 2-0 Esperance (de arrascaeta 17 ‘, Luiz Araujo 70’)
