Chelsea kicked off their Club World Cup journey with a 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC on Monday at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez secured all three points for the English side in their Group D opener. The match, however, saw a poor turnout, with just over 22,000 fans in a stadium that can hold 71,000.
Despite the low attendance, Chelsea looked sharp. Pedro Neto opened the scoring in the first half after receiving a clever pass from Nicolas Jackson. Neto weaved past a defender before firing a low shot past LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
Chelsea continued to dominate as Enzo Fernandez sealed the win late in the game. The Argentine midfielder calmly finished a cross from new signing Liam Delap, who came on as a second-half substitute for his debut.
Delap, signed from Ipswich Town, made an immediate impact by setting up Fernandez’s goal and showing promise in attack.
LAFC, one of three MLS teams in the tournament, struggled to create chances. Denis Bouanga came close to equalizing, but Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez pulled off a smart save with his leg. Former Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud came on for LAFC in the second half but couldn’t find a breakthrough.
The match's timing—a 3:00 pm weekday kickoff—was seen as a key reason for the empty stands, with most locals at work and the top tier of the stadium closed. Although Atlanta is known for its strong soccer support, especially for MLS side Atlanta United, this game failed to draw similar crowds.
Chelsea qualified for the Club World Cup after winning the UEFA Conference League and are aiming for a strong showing to reclaim their place among Europe’s top teams.
In the other Group D fixture, Tunisia’s Esperance are set to face Brazil’s Flamengo later on Monday.
