Flamengo stun Chelsea in another big Club World Cup upset

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is disconnected and running, and has produced plentifulness of talking points and storylines already. Let's drawback you up connected what's happening, what you've missed and what's inactive to come.

We volition update this record passim each matchday with the latest reporting, investigation and amusive from the competition, truthful cheque backmost regularly for the latest quality arsenic we travel the amusive starring up to the tournament final astatine MetLife Stadium connected July 13.

The lead: Chelsea flattened by Flamengo successful Friday shock

PHILADELPHIA, Penn. -- It lone took six minutes for Chelsea's Club World Cup run to beryllium thrown into superior jeopardy connected Friday.

While starring Flamengo 1-0 successful the Philadelphia aboriginal day heat, the Blues were closing successful connected becoming the archetypal squad to publication their spot successful the round-of-16. Plans included an extended grooming campy successful Miami arsenic they honed their preparations for a sustained battle connected the competition's second stages, and the £97million archetypal prize that would beryllium a invited boost to Chelsea's equilibrium sheet.

And then, conscionable aft the hr mark, everything changed. The pb fixed to them by Pedro Neto's well-taken 13th-minute onslaught evaporated arsenic Bruno Henrique, and past Danilo, converted from adjacent scope to crook the crippled connected its head, earlier Nicolas Jackson got himself sent disconnected for an idiotic situation connected Ayrton Lucas. Wallace Yan added a precocious 3rd to springiness Flamengo a triumph they thoroughly deserved some connected and disconnected the pitch, arsenic a combative and dynamic show was mirrored by the passionateness and fury of thousands clad successful reddish and achromatic stripes predominantly gathered down the extremity that brought them specified second-half joy.

This was a show that raises aggregate questions astir Chelsea and caput manager Enzo Maresca. He started with Reece James successful midfield and Cole Palmer stationed connected the close flank. There was an irony to Palmer speaking astir coveting his caller No.10 garment yesterday, lone for Maresca to past inquire the 23-year-old to vacate the corresponding cardinal presumption wherever helium is astir effective.

It contributed to a disjointed show successful which Palmer struggled to enforce himself, amassing conscionable 15 touches and 3 completed passes successful the archetypal half. Palmer ended up with 32 touches and the ignominy of an 82nd-minute substitution erstwhile Chelsea were down to 10 men and chasing the game.

"We tried to bash thing antithetic successful the game, for adjacent play and the future," said Maresca pursuing the defeat. "Now we person 1 much game, we volition effort to win."

But Jackson volition gully much of the criticism. He was connected the tract for conscionable 4 minutes arsenic a second-half sub, and touched the shot lone erstwhile once lunging successful precocious close successful beforehand of Salvadorian referee Iván Arcides Barton Cisneros. Jackson was sent disconnected astatine Newcastle successful aboriginal May successful a likewise foolish enactment that threatened to derail their hopes of Champions League qualification. Chelsea survived without him to deed their people backmost then, but Liam Delap volition beryllium taking centre signifier against Esperance Sportive de Tunis backmost astatine Lincoln Financial Field connected Wednesday to guarantee the Blues' harmless transition from Group D.

It would beryllium speculative to look excessively acold up but the probability that Chelsea won't apical the radical is present precise existent and, each things being equal, they could look Bayern Munich successful the last-16. Such a crippled would correspond a large aboriginal trial of the team's credentials to triumph a contention the club's owners presumption arsenic peculiarly important, not slightest due to the fact that of the currency connected offer.

On this evidence, however, Chelsea don't look up to it. Like different managers coming to the U.S. astatine the extremity of a agelong season, Maresca has spoken of the request to rotate and equilibrium trying to triumph with managing minutes and preparing for the 2025-26 campaign. It is simply a hard balancing act, but 1 helium indispensable bash amended with. This was a wake-up call, an instauration to the tourney due with the bulk of 54,019 fans against them backing a spirited squad who looked hungrier and much motivated.

There is clip for that to change, of course, but things conscionable got importantly harder for Chelsea. -- James Olley

Today's apical Club World Cup stories

• Club World Cup's astir divers teams
• CWC permutations: How each squad tin advance
• Boca Juniors brace suspended 4 games each

Sights and sounds astir FIFA Club World Cup

Flamengo's large crippled acquisition shows vs. Chelsea

PHILADELPHIA, Penn. -- Chelsea were warned pre-match that this was going to beryllium "like an distant game" not truthful overmuch due to the fact that of the numbers successful the stands astatine Lincoln Financial Field, which were comparatively even, but due to the fact that of the sound and enactment generated by the Mengao faithful. And the Flamengo fans got to spot their squad out-football and outsmart their pedigreed European opposition.

On paper, a trio of Georgian de Arrascaeta, Jorginho and Erick Pulgar -- for each their creativity and method quality -- should conflict against the dynamism and athleticism of Chelsea, each the much truthful with Maresca exiling Cole Palmer wide and bringing backmost Enzo Fernández. But acquisition and quality tin marque up for a lot, and this was the lawsuit adjacent arsenic Flamengo went successful the interruption a extremity down.

On the equilibrium of play, adjacent successful the archetypal half, Filipe Luis' broadside didn't consciousness inferior, they conscionable conceded to an idiosyncratic error. And aft the break, they drove that constituent home.

Replacing de Arrascaeta with Bruno Henrique was a large call, and 1 that was vindicated with a extremity and an assistance wrong minutes of the restart. Nico Jackson's infinitesimal of foolishness did the rest, but information beryllium told, Flamengo looked similar the much grown-up squad adjacent successful the archetypal half, erstwhile 3 Chelsea players went into the publication portion another, Marc Cucurella, could person too.

Really, it shouldn't beryllium astonishing that Flamengo are the grownups here. Chelsea are a precise young side; Flamengo are packed with acquisition and a familiarity with the large stage. Except for fullback Wesley, the full starting XI person acquisition playing abroad, mostly successful Europe. Jorginho and Danilo formerly captained clubs similar Chelsea and Juventus. Gerson played for Roma and Marseille, Pulgar for Fiorentina and Galatasaray.

There's a big-game ethos successful this Flamengo side, which matches a nine that considers itself the biggest successful Brazil and that sits apical of the array successful Group D. I mean, this is the nine of Zico and Leonardo, the 1 that plays their location games astatine the freaking Maracana. And no, they weren't going to beryllium intimidated by going a extremity down against Chelsea -- surely not the ugly, pokey mentation of the Blues that was connected show astatine the Linc. -- Gab Marcotti

Boca Juniors and their fans brought the enactment with them

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- "Edi! Edi! A photo, please! Edi!"

Edinson Cavani smiles patiently, and poses for 1 past photo. The Boca Juniors forward, 38, has taken plentifulness already this week, and 1 much won't hurt. Each nighttime astatine Boca's squad edifice successful Fort Lauderdale, Florida, it's the aforesaid country arsenic fans stitchery outside, singing, chanting, playing euphony successful hopes of gathering their heroes.

Everywhere you spell successful Fort Lauderdale -- by the beach, astatine the promenade -- you spot Boca shirts. Some fans are adjacent staying astatine the squad hotel, expanding the likelihood of a accidental encounter. There's midfielder Ander Herrera, dressed successful his grooming gear, walking done the lobby. At night, Juan Román Riquelme -- Boca legend, iconic No.10, and present the club's president -- takes a locomotion on the city's New River, flanked by 2 members of staff. Some fans bring shirts oregon balls to beryllium signed. Another walks into the lobby holding a exemplary of Boca's La Bombonera stadium.

Boca aren't the lone squad staying present successful Fort Lauderdale. Driving down the Beach Boulevard, section constabulary halt traffic. Is it an accident? No, it's Borussia Dortmund's branded squad bus, heading to that morning's grooming league accompanied by a constabulary escort. Two fans successful Dortmund shirts spot the autobus and sprint disconnected the beach, hoping to drawback a glimpse of the players.

Back astatine Boca's edifice connected Las Olas Boulevard, Cavani yet walks wrong done a backstage entranceway arsenic a information defender waves distant the remaining fans. Two of them, edifice guests, caput into the lobby and telephone an elevator, clutching a recently signed shirt. On the mode up, it stops connected the eighth floor, location to the hotel's gym. The elevator doors unfastened -- and there's Cavani walking past again, looking surprised.

"Edi! A photo!" they shout. "You've had 1 already!" helium laughs, arsenic the doors close. Still, there's ever tomorrow. -- Alex Kirkland

More talking points to follow...

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Match previews, likelihood for Friday

Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Borussia Dortmund (Group F; Cincinnati, OH, Noon ET)

Odds (via ESPN BET): Mamelodi Sundowns (+600), Draw (+400), Borussia Dortmund (-260)

You'd expect Dortmund to triumph this astatine a canter fixed their pedigree connected paper, but the vigor and humidity is simply a large equalizer erstwhile it comes to what happens connected the tract astatine this competition, and Mamelodi Sundowns' manufacture and effort has them topping Group F heading into Saturday's lunchtime clash. Dortmund volition request to amusement much creativity and passionateness if they're to widen their Club World Cup participation, having hardly mustered 0.24 xG successful their opening crippled 0-0 against Fluminense. Keeper Gregor Kobel was their standout against the Brazilian side, but the likes of Sehrou Guirassy (a game-low 27 touches successful 90 minutes) and Julian Brandt (one changeable disconnected people and conscionable 27 completed passes successful 77 minutes) request to measurement up.

For Sundowns, they'll fearfulness nary squad successful this tourney having clogged the midfield and defended good successful numbers against Ulsan HD successful their 1-0 win. They'll beryllium hoping guardant Iqraam Rayners tin find the nett again, too. -- Tyler

Inter Milan vs. Urawa RD (Group E; Seattle, WA, 3 p.m. ET)

Odds: Inter Milan (-550), Draw (+550), Urawa RD (+1000)

It's not often you get to spot brothers competing for the aforesaid spot successful the team, but that's wherever Inter are heading into the clash with Urawa Red Diamonds. With Marcus Thuram banged up and Mehdi Taremi stuck successful Tehran, Sebastiano Esposito (who started successful the opener against Monterrey) volition vie with his brother, Pio, for a spot alongside Lautaro Martínez successful Inter's starting XI.

Sebastiano, who is 22, was connected indebtedness astatine Empoli past season, scoring 9 goals. Francesco "Pio," connected the different hand, is conscionable 19 and was connected indebtedness successful Serie B, astatine Spezia, wherever helium scored 17 goals successful starring them to the playoffs. Both are precise overmuch cardinal strikers, and some are Italy Under 21 internationals. (In lawsuit you're wondering, there's a 3rd Esposito brother, Salvatore, but he's 24 and a midfielder and nary longer plays for Inter.) -- Marcotti

Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD (Group F; East Rutherford, NJ, 6 p.m. ET)

Odds: Fluminense (-270), Draw (+400), Ulsan HD (+700)

Fluminense's workrate was a changeless occupation for Dortmund successful their opener and they volition consciousness unlucky not to person taken each 3 points, with Kobel's double-save successful the 2nd fractional summing up specified frustrations. Yet determination is simply a wide way to the circular of 16 up if they tin clasp their nervus and amusement much composure successful beforehand of net: conscionable 5 shots connected framework retired of 14 full is an insufficient instrumentality successful tourney play.

For Ulsan, seasoned midfielders Seung-Beom Ko and Woo-Young Jung were awesome successful crippled one, but difference-maker Erick Farias needs to unrecorded up to that tag successful the last third. -- Tyler

River Plate vs. Monterrey (Group E; Pasadena, CA, 9 p.m. ET)

Odds: River Plate (+105), Draw (+240), Monterrey (+250)

Monterrey enters the 2nd radical signifier lucifer against River Plate aft a shocking 1-1 gully against Inter Milan with a extremity from nary different than Sergio Ramos. Now, the Liga MX giants volition request Ramos to beryllium crisp connected acceptable pieces portion attacking duo Lucas Ocampos and German Berterame radiance successful the last 3rd to support live immoderate hopes of qualifying to the knockout round.

Given results truthful acold successful Group E, the effect betwixt Monterrey and River Plate could specify the 2 participants that determination connected to the adjacent signifier of the Club World Cup. The Argentine squad are apical aft beating Urawa RD 3-1: Goals from Maximiliano Meza, Sebastian Driussi and Facundo Colidio gave River Plate a comfy borderline erstwhile it comes to advancing, but the squad cannot spend to trust connected 1 bully effect to get the occupation done. -- Becherano