Flamengo pulled off a massive upset at the Club World Cup on Friday, defeating Chelsea 3-1 with a dominant second-half display. With both teams tied at three points in Group D, this was the match to watch—and Flamengo didn’t disappoint.
Chelsea Strikes First, But Can’t Hold On
The Blues started strong. In the 13th minute, Pedro Neto took advantage of a lucky deflection and finished calmly to put Chelsea up 1-0. At that point, it looked like Chelsea might control the match. But Flamengo had other plans.
Second-Half Turnaround Led by Henrique and Danilo
The real drama started after halftime. Flamengo leveled in the 62nd minute. Bruno Henrique was in the right place at the right time, tapping in a goal right in front of the net.
Just three minutes later, Flamengo struck again—this time from a corner. Danilo rose above the Chelsea defense and headed it home in the 65th minute to make it 2-1. That goal completely shifted the momentum.
To make things worse for Chelsea, forward Nicolas Jackson was sent off in the 68th minute—just four minutes after coming on. That red card left the Premier League side down to 10 men with 20 minutes to play.
Wallace Yan Finishes the Job
Flamengo didn’t ease up. In the 83rd minute, Wallace Yan added a third goal that sealed the result. The crowd at Lincoln Financial Field, especially the Flamengo fans in red, went wild.
Flamengo now sits on six points and is close to booking a spot in the knockout stage. But they’ll have to wait for the result of LAFC vs. Esperance to be sure. A win or draw by Esperance would send the Brazilian side through.
A Special Night for Flamengo Fans
Bruno Henrique, who was named Man of the Match, credited the fans for helping the team fight back. “I noticed that we had the advantage. We had the fans on our side,” he said. “And that’s when we started to pressure.”
Coach Filipe Luís, a former Chelsea defender, must’ve enjoyed beating his old club. And Flamengo fans definitely enjoyed every second.
What’s Next?
Chelsea will try to bounce back against Esperance on Tuesday in Philadelphia. Flamengo faces LAFC in Orlando.
With this win, South American clubs remain unbeaten in their last nine Club World Cup games—a stat that speaks volumes.
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