Brazilian side Flamengo staged an impressive second-half comeback to defeat Chelsea 3-1 in their FIFA Club World Cup Group D match on Friday, with substitute Bruno Henrique inspiring the turnaround.
The victory marks Flamengo’s second consecutive win in the tournament, placing them at the top of the group with six points and in a strong position to advance to the knockout stages. Chelsea remain second with three points.
Despite a bright start from Flamengo, it was the Premier League side who took the lead in the 13th minute. A defensive error from Flamengo fullback Wesley gifted possession to Pedro Neto, who raced clear and slotted a composed finish past goalkeeper Agustin Rossi.
Chelsea controlled the remainder of the first half and had opportunities to extend their lead, but efforts from Malo Gusto and Liam Delap were saved. Just before the break, a volley from Flamengo’s Gerson was cleared off the line by Enzo Fernandez.
The game’s complexion changed entirely after halftime, largely due to the introduction of Bruno Henrique. The Flamengo substitute made an immediate impact, equalising in the 62nd minute with a simple tap-in after Gonzalo Plata headed a Gerson cross back into his path.
Just three minutes later, Flamengo took the lead. From a corner, Henrique rose highest to head the ball across the box, where defender Danilo was on hand to fire home from close range.
Chelsea’s hopes of a comeback were severely hampered in the 68th minute when their substitute forward, Nicolas Jackson, was shown a straight red card for a reckless studs-up challenge on Ayrton Lucas.
Flamengo sealed the victory in the 83rd minute when another substitute, Wallace Yan, scored from a rebound following a powerful run and shot by Plata.
The result leaves Chelsea needing a positive outcome in their final group game to ensure progression.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.