Chelsea advanced to the semifinals of the Club World Cup with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Palmeiras, thanks to a late own goal by the Brazilian side. Chelsea played significantly better than they had earlier in the tournament and achieved their win in front of a crowd of 65,782 at Lincoln Financial Field.

A powerful shot by Malo Gusto was the catalyst that restored Chelsea’s lead, ultimately credited as an own goal to Agustín Giay, the Palmeiras defender. The Blues had also gotten on the scoresheet early through Cole Palmer who scored just 16 minutes into the match. Palmer’s performance indicated he was regaining the form that had seen him excel at the beginning of the season.

The game turned when Palmeiras leveled shortly after halftime as Estevao scored from a tight angle, demonstrating why Chelsea signed him for the next season. Pressure mounted for Chelsea but they shaped up tactically, with Noni Madueke and new signing Joao Pedro coming on as substitutes, reinforcing their attack against a now-challenging Palmeiras defense.

Despite the intense atmosphere and even a tribute to Diogo Jota, a player who tragically recently passed away, Chelsea held their nerves. Looking ahead, they will face Thiago Silva’s Fluminense, another Brazilian side, in the tournament’s semifinals.