João Pedro marked his full Chelsea debut with a stunning brace against his boyhood club Fluminense, firing the Blues into the Club World Cup final with a 2-0 win in New Jersey.
It was a day of emotion and excellence for the 23-year-old Brazilian. Facing the club where his football journey began, he delivered a performance that mixed class with killer instinct. His two goals came at crucial moments and proved too much for the South American champions.
Pedro opened the scoring in the 18th minute. After regaining possession himself, he helped launch the move and found space on the edge of the box. A clever first touch and curling finish into the top corner left goalkeeper Fábio helpless.
Fluminense pushed for a response and came close twice. Marc Cucurella cleared Hércules’ shot off the line before a penalty was awarded, then overturned, for handball against Trevoh Chalobah. It was a decision that drew frustration from the Brazilian side and their fans.
Pedro doubled Chelsea’s lead in the 56th minute. Running onto Enzo Fernández’s pass, he dribbled past a defender and smashed the ball in off the crossbar with a thunderous strike. The goal effectively ended Fluminense’s resistance.
Chelsea could have added more. Christopher Nkunku missed a couple of chances, and substitute Everaldo had a shot saved late on. The only concern for the Blues was Moises Caicedo, who limped off in stoppage time with an ankle issue.
For Fluminense, it was a bitter night. Their return to the tournament ended at the hands of one of their own. Pedro came through their youth system before moving to Watford in 2019, then Brighton, and now Chelsea.
Chelsea will now face either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday’s final. A win there would give them a second Club World Cup crown after their 2021 success.
