Palmeiras – Chelsea: Blues March On To Semis Despite Spirited Second Half Palmeiras Comeback (1-2)

Chelsea were made to work to get their quarter-final win over Palmeiras over the line in the Club World Cup. An early goal by Cole Palmer in the first half was cancelled by Chelsea’s new imminent joinee from Palmeiras, Estevao. However, a late own goal by Augustin Giay from a deflected cross by Malo Gusto gave the Blues their second goal of the game as the London club closed the game out to advance to the semi-finals.

Tactical analysis and match report by Gaurav Krishnan.

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There’s something about Brazil and football that goes deeper than just the game on the pitch. It goes deeper into the roots of Brazilian culture & the game played on the streets, in the favelas & in the heartland of the South American nation, wherever a ball is kicked. If anything, this Club World Cup has seen Brazilian clubs stake their claim to suggest that they’re nearly on par with the European elite, sending out the message that Brazilian football isn’t to be underestimated.

Chelsea themselves found it out first hand in their group stage loss to Flamengo. However, in this game, the Blues did manage to just about scrape over the line against Palmeiras who caused them problems with a spirited display on a night that was full of fireworks, jubilation and celebration on the 4th of July in America.

The samba wasn’t as free flowing as Flamengo were against the Blues as Cole Palmer found space just outside the box, and entered it dancing in his own way to score a sublime opener. The Blues were rather dominant in the first half as the Palmeiras breakaways were handled efficiently by the London club. But there would be a plot twist in the early stages of the second half.


Chelsea under the Boehly regime, have been known to scour the globe to sign the finest young talent. And it was their 18-year-old signing Estevao, who started this game for Palmeiras just ahead of joining Chelsea for preseason after the Club World Cup, who managed to do the damage against the club he will imminently join.


Estevao squeezed in a shot from a tight angle to bamboozle Robert Sanchez & the Chelsea defense to give Palmeiras the equaliser. But as the game wore on Maresca looked to his bench & in a spell of late pressure, Malo Gusto’s cross into the box deflected off Giay and went into the net to give Chelsea their winner.


There were some changes to Maresca’s usual set up mostly due to injuries and suspensions, or resting his usual starters in Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Reece James who all weren’t in the starting XI. Andrey Santos was given a start in the heart of the Chelsea midfield & put in a commendable shift as new Blues signing Joao Pedro also came on for a cameo in the second half.

Pedro Neto, meanwhile, was given an option by Maresca to choose whether he would play the game or not following the tragic news of the passing of his Portugal teammate Diogo Jota. It was a night to start in remembrance of Jota & his brother despite the 4th of July celebrations; a tragedy that shook the world of football just a few days before this game. 

But in the end, it was Chelsea’s quality & depth that shone through on the night, albeit with a dash of fortune. This narrow win by the slenderest of margins ensured Enzo Maresca’s side advanced to the semi-finals of the Club World Cup to keep their hopes of reaching the final alive.

Abel Ferreira deployed his Palmeiras side in a 4-2-3-1 shape. Weverton started in goal as Augustin Giay started at right-back with center back pair of Bruno Fuchs and Micael with Vanderlan at left-back. Richard Rios and Emiliano Martinez anchored the midfield in the double pivot with Allan at right wing, Facundo Torres at left wing and Estevao as the roaming 10, while Vitor Roque led the line as the lone striker.

Enzo Maresca fielded Chelsea in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Robert Sanchez started in goal with Malo Gusto starting at right-back with a back two of Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill with Marc Cucurella at left-back. The midfield pivot was anchored by Andrey Santos and Enzo Fernandez with Pedro Neto at right wing, Christopher Nkunku at left wing and Cole Palmer through the middle as the number 10 as Liam Delap started at center forward.

Palmer Strikes First With His Own Samba

The mood in the stadium in Philadelphia started off on a poignant & sad note as the players and fans were asked to keep one minute’s silence in memory of Diogo Jota and his brother after the tragic news of the death of the Liverpool and Portugal forward stunned the world of football just earlier in the week.

Emotions were on display as a picture of Jota & his brother was displayed on the giant screen, urging a moment of remembrance for the former Liverpool man, in what was something bigger than football and more humane.

Chelsea built up a bit differently in this game. The London club’s build-up wasn’t their usual 3-2-5 and began with a 3-1 with Cucurella filling in as the third center back alongside Colwill and Chalobah as Gusto inverted & pushed higher & wider or into midfield. Andrey Santos occupied the single pivot as the one. This 3-1 build-up was part of Chelsea’s 3-1-6 as they committed bodies forward with six players pushed high up the pitch.

However, at times in build-up this became a 3-1-2-4 with Palmer and Enzo Fernandez occupying the two just ahead of Santos in the space in midfield.

Minute 3’ Chelsea’s movement from the 3-1 base. Andrey Santos has the ball in a 3-1 build up. Enzo Fernandez drops deeper to link up play while Palmer also slightly drops into the space making it a 3-1-2 as Gusto makes a run forward higher up the pitch after inverting.

When the ball needed to be moved & progressed higher up the pitch from midfield, Chelsea also utilised a 3-2-2-3 or 3-box-3 with Santos as the pivot and Enzo dropping, and the inverting Gusto and Palmer occupying the slightly higher spaces of the midfield box. This 3-box-3 aimed to create passing lanes for the movement of the front three. It was dynamic in movement and the box midfield allowed Chelsea to rotate and find space to create attacks. Palmeiras, meanwhile, pressed in a 4-2-1-3 when Chelsea had the ball with their back three.

Minute 5’ Chelsea’s box midfield vs the Palmeiras press. Santos, Palmer, Enzo and Gusto form a box four in midfield in Chelsea’s 3-box-3.

Palmeiras transitioned to a 4-4-2 mid to low block in their OOP shape that aimed to soak up Chelsea’s possession pressure & hit the Blues on the break. The Brazilian side were dominated for possession for large spells of the first half as Chelsea’s box midfield gave Palmeiras some problems with the dynamic movement of the Chelsea midfielders with Santos at the base. This opened up space for the Chelsea front three as well.

Minute 9’ Chelsea’s box midfield vs Palmeiras pressing in a 4-4-2. Santos, Palmer, Enzo and Gusto form a narrower box midfield in Chelsea’s 3-box-3 as the front three hold the width.

The goal came in the 15th minute after Chalobah was given space to push higher. The Chelsea defender strolled higher without any pressure & found a pin-point pass to Palmer just outside the box. Palmer turned & beat the pressing defenders with a bit of skill, weaving his way into the box and slotted the ball into the net making it 1-0 to Chelsea.

Minute 15’ Chelsea goal by Palmer. Chalobah is allowed to step up from defense and the Chelsea defender plays an accurate pass to Palmer. Delap’s movement drags Fuchs away as Palmer swivels and enters the box. Micael & Giay try to catch Palmer but he evades them and slots it into the bottom corner. 1-0 Chelsea.

Estevao Stuns His New Employers

Chelsea created the bulk of chances and dominated the lionshare of possession in the first half. The Blues had 68% possession and had 9 shots at the Palmeiras goal in the first half clearly dominating proceedings. But the game would spring to life in the second half.

Estevao was a threat all game but Cucurella seemed to be winning the 1v1 duel against the Palmeiras winger. But after a bit of penetrating play, Estevao was found in the box in a bit of space but he was under pressure from Colwill. However, the Brazilian wonderkid managed to strike venomously from the tight angle as the ball smashed into the net in off the bar at Sanchez’s upper near post. The goal sent the Palmeiras fans in the stadium into wild celebrations as the 4th of July fireworks adorned the Philadelphia sky.

The goal showed Chelsea fans what Estevao is all about. The Brazilian youngster has great dribbling ability and pace to match, but also a strong shot on him. And it was perhaps poetically fitting that he got a goal for Palmeiras against the club he is due to join for preseason shortly after the Club World Cup.

Maresca’s Substitutions & The Late Own Goal

The game continued with Palmeiras invigorated after their goal, but Chelsea still saw more of the ball. The second half, however, saw Palmeiras with 44% possession to Chelsea’s 56% as the Brazilian club looked to perhaps sneak a smash & grab against the Blues.

Chelsea pressed in a 4-2-4 or 4-2-1-3, especially higher up the pitch but the absence of Caicedo and Lavia left Chelsea’s midfield vulnerable, particularly in the second half after Palmeiras equalised. But Chelsea’s 4-2-4 mid block held firm against any Palmeiras penetrating possession.

Minute 72’ Chelsea revert to a 4-2-4 or 4-2-1-3 mid block in their OOP against Palmeiras as the Brazilian side gain some possession after Estevao’s goal.

Maresca rang in the substitutions, getting on Noni Madueke and new signing Joao Pedro for Nkunku and Delap respectively in the 54th minute. Joao Pedro dropped slightly deep to link up play as Madueke looked to turn and run & get into the box beating his markers.

This resulted in a few half chances for Chelsea. Joao Pedro, making his debut, brought fresh energy & impetus up front while Madueke’s directness troubled Palmeiras’ back line. 


The match seemed destined for extra time but the decisive moment would come in the 83rd minute. In a moment of fortune, a well-worked corner routine saw Gusto deliver a cross that deflected off Palmeiras’ Agustin Giay, wrong-footing Weverton and bobbling into the net for an own goal.

That made it 2-1, and Maresca made further changes to close out the game. There would be one last chance for Palmeiras with Paulinho coming off the bench to see his shot drag wide of the Chelsea goal. Chelsea held firm, with Weverton tipping a Madueke shot onto the post in stoppage time to prevent a third goal followed by a shot by Joao Pedro that he saved as well.

In truth, it was a deserved win for Chelsea. The Blues were a constant threat going forward and had 19 shots in the game with 6 on target. But despite Estevao’s heroics, the Blues managed to see the game over the line, as they marched on into the semi-finals of the Club World Cup.

Takeaways

This game was a showcase of Brazilian football’s tenacity & resilience, but ultimately ended with Chelsea winning by the sheer quality & depth of their squad. Chelsea’s early dominance & constant goal threat driven by their movement and Palmer’s brilliance gave them the edge but Palmeiras and Estevao’s equaliser showcased their resilience & mettle.

The match was ultimately decided by a bit of fortune, with Gusto’s deflected cross proving to be the difference. Both managers demonstrated tactical acumen, but Maresca’s ability to adapt with his tweaked build-up & substitutions and a disciplined defensive display secured Chelsea’s place in the semi-finals against Fluminense. For Palmeiras, the match was a valiant effort marred by fine margins with Estevao’s performance a bittersweet farewell before his move to Chelsea.

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