Chelsea booked their place in the semi-final of the Fifa Club World Cup with a win over Brazilian club Palmeiras

By Emmanuel Austin Baah On Jul 5, 2025

Cole Palmer ended an eight-game goal drought for club and country on Saturday morning

Chelsea booked their place in the semi-final of the Fifa Club World Cup with a win over Brazilian club Palmeiras – despite Estevao Willian scoring against the club he is about to join.

Cole Palmer slotted in a 16th-minute opener and, after Estevao had levelled early in the second half, Malo Gusto’s cross deflected off defender Giay Agustin and into his own goal to seal victory.

A lot of the headlines though will go to Brazil’s teenage sensation Estevao, who scored a wonderful leveller from a tight angle in the 53rd minute.

The 18-year-old Brazil international will now complete a move to Chelsea, in a deal that could be worth £52m.

Meanwhile, the Blues gave a debut to £55m signing Joao Pedro, who joined from Brighton just two days ago, but both Liam Delap and Levi Colwill picked up yellow cards and are suspended for the semi-final while captain Reece James picked up an injury in the warm up.

Chelsea will next face Fluminense in the semi-final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Tuesday.

Estevao Willian announced himself to his new employer in the best possible way: with a goal.

His sharpness in the box bought him half a yard on England international Levi Colwill and he then smashed his shot off the bar past goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

It was also a good way to bow out at Palmeiras and it will only serve to build further excitement before his Chelsea debut next season.

Forwards Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto were exciting throughout but Joao Pedro’s debut was also very bright and he was unlucky not to mark the occasion with a goal.

Delap struggled before coming off while Nicolas Jackson was interestingly nowhere to be seen despite returning from his two-match ban.

Chelsea will face another Brazilian club Fluminense in New Jersey at the MetLife Stadium on Tuesday while Palmeiras will switch attention to their domestic matters without Estevao having seen their campaign disrupted by this lucrative competition.

Author

Emmanuel Austin Baah

My name is Emmanuel Austin Baah, professionally known as “Okocha”. I am a seasoned Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and football commentator from Senya Bereku in the Central Region. My work reflects a strong commitment to factual reporting, ethical journalism and the continuous promotion of Ghanaian sports.

I am currently pursuing my studies at Cape Coast Technical University, building on a solid foundation of media practice and communication. I previously served as a sports producer at Radio Gold (90.5) and Montie FM (100.1) in Accra, where I was actively involved in editorial planning, programme production, live commentary and in-depth sports analysis.

Presently, I am a Senior Writer at SportsNetGhana.com, a role in which I produce well-researched features, match reports, athlete profiles and analytical pieces. My work consistently highlights emerging talents, captures key sporting developments and contributes to shaping informed sports discourse in Ghana.

Over the course of my career, I have covered numerous major sporting events both locally and internationally. Among these, the highlight remains my coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a significant milestone that strengthened my expertise in global football reporting and enhanced my understanding of international sports dynamics.

I am widely recognised for my clarity of analysis, engaging commentary style and strong command of both local and global football trends. Beyond the newsroom, I participate in community initiatives aimed at developing young sports journalists and promoting youth engagement in sports.

For professional engagements, media collaborations or enquiries, please contact me on 0265284330.

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