Striker Liam Delap scored his first goal for Chelsea as the Premier League side secured their place in the knockout stages of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 3-0 victory over Tunisian club Espérance de Tunis on Tuesday.
Played in challenging, humid conditions in Philadelphia, the win ensures Chelsea finish as runners-up in Group D, setting up a last-16 encounter with Portuguese champions Benfica.
After a largely frustrating first half, Chelsea broke the deadlock when defender Tosin Adarabioyo headed in a free-kick from Enzo Fernandez. Just two minutes later, deep into first-half stoppage time, Liam Delap netted his debut goal since his £30 million transfer from Ipswich Town. The 22-year-old controlled the ball deftly before spinning and dispatching a placed shot into the bottom corner.
Substitute Tyrique George added a third with a late strike to round off the victory in front of 32,967 fans at Lincoln Financial Field.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca made eight changes to his starting lineup, seemingly influenced by the extreme heat, with temperatures still feeling like 36°C at the 9 p.m. local kick-off time. Key players such as Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto, and Moises Caicedo were rested. Enzo Fernandez captained the side in the absence of an ill Reece James.
The Italian manager made further changes in a controlled second half, giving debuts to midfielders Andrey Santos and Mamadou Sarr.
Delap’s goal provides a timely boost for Chelsea’s attacking options, as fellow striker Nicolas Jackson will be suspended for the upcoming last-16 match against Benfica following his red card in the previous game against Flamengo.
Chelsea dominated the match statistically, holding 74% of possession and registering 16 shots, while Espérance de Tunis failed to record a single shot on target. The defeat means the African side, along with Los Angeles FC, have been eliminated from the tournament.
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