After PSG’s loss to Botafogo, now Chelsea has been defeated by Flamengo, continuing the unbeaten run of Brazilian clubs at the Club World Cup.
The shock of Botafogo’s impressive victory over PSG is still fresh. Meanwhile, another surprise came from Brazil as Flamengo stunned Chelsea, coming from behind to claim a memorable win.
In the Club World Cup Group D match on Friday, Chelsea took an early lead but ultimately fell 3-1 to Flamengo.
With two consecutive wins, Flamengo now tops the group and has secured their spot in the knockout stage.
The surprise story of Brazilian clubs at the Club World Cup continues. Among the 32 teams in the tournament, four are Brazilian clubs — and none have tasted defeat yet.
At Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, Flamengo put immediate pressure on Chelsea from the start. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez had to make three important saves early on to keep Chelsea in the game.
However, Chelsea scored first. In the 13th minute, a defensive error from Flamengo allowed Pedro Neto to find space and the Portuguese winger made no mistake.
After the goal, Chelsea took control and launched several attacks, but Flamengo’s Argentine goalkeeper Agustin Rossi stood firm.
Late in the first half, Flamengo had a great chance as Jeison’s volley looked destined for goal, but Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez cleared it off the line.
After the break, Flamengo played organized football and put Chelsea under pressure. Their efforts paid off in the 62nd minute when experienced substitute winger Bruno Henrique leveled the score.
Just three minutes later, Flamengo shocked Chelsea by taking the lead. From a corner, Danilo—who has played for Porto, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Juventus—touched the ball into the net. The experienced defender returned to Brazilian football last January.
About three minutes after falling behind, Chelsea suffered another blow when substitute Nicolas Jackson was shown a red card just four minutes after coming on.
In the 83rd minute, Wallace Ian’s goal sparked celebrations among Flamengo supporters. They soon reveled in their victory.
Elsewhere, in Group C, Bayern Munich secured back-to-back wins and a knockout spot by beating Boca Juniors 2-1.
