Chelsea Secures Victory in FIFA Club World Cup Amidst Sparse Attendance

Chelsea's Winning Start in Atlanta

Atlanta [US], June 17: Chelsea kicked off their FIFA Club World Cup journey with a solid 2-0 win against MLS team Los Angeles FC at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which was notably underpopulated.

The stadium, which can hold 71,000 spectators, saw a significant number of empty seats, with an official attendance reported at just 22,137, indicating that less than one-third of the venue was filled.

During the first half, LAFC's goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, formerly of Tottenham, was tested early on, successfully stopping attempts from Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke as Chelsea sought to take the lead. As the match progressed, Chelsea dominated possession, pushing LAFC back until they finally broke through.

In front of a sparse crowd, Pedro Neto scored in the 34th minute, giving Chelsea a 1-0 lead. He skillfully evaded the offside trap to connect with Jackson's precise pass, cutting back and slotting the ball into the bottom corner, putting the Conference League champions ahead.

Fans were treated to a glimpse of Chelsea's new signing, Liam Delap, who entered the game midway through the second half. Chelsea worked diligently for their second goal, which came in the 79th minute when Delap, after a series of quick exchanges with Cole Palmer, assisted Fernandez for a simple finish, sealing the match at 2-0.

Post-match, Chelsea's manager Enzo Maresca expressed his astonishment at the empty seats, stating, 'The atmosphere and environment was a bit strange. The stadium was almost empty.'

LAFC's coach Steve Cherundolo shared his thoughts, noting, 'I think it is different each game you look at. In the Rose Bowl in LA, there was a huge crowd for the game between PSG and Atletico Madrid. Maybe LA likes football more than Atlanta, I don’t know, we should judge at the end.'