- Chelsea imploded in the second half as Flamengo took their opportunities
- Nicolas Jackson saw red just minutes after coming on in the second half
- Watch every Club World Cup match free on DAZN. Sign Up Now
Chelsea stumbled in the American city famed for stepping up, and once they started falling backwards in this Club World Cup surrender, there was no stopping them. Nicolas Jackson made sure of that.
Enzo Maresca’s side had been leading here in Philadelphia as they looked like shoo-ins to reach the Club World Cup’s knockout stages. They could have spent their weekend visiting the Rocky Steps and such, rather than thinking of their final group game versus ES Tunis.
But dire defending saw them concede once and then twice to Flamengo as the Brazilians took the lead. Jackson was introduced to try to save the game in the 64th minute, and by the 68th, he was being red carded.
He raked his studs down Ayrton Lucas’s shin, completely unnecessarily. There was no defending it, and no coming back from that for Chelsea, who went on to concede a third to Flamengo.
We will need to see whether Jackson can come back from this himself.
It is not the first time he has hamstrung his team with his own decision-making and lack of discipline, and Chelsea now have Liam Delap, who started here.
Brazilian sides were unbeaten at the Club World Cup heading into this clash. Palmeiras, Botafogo, Fluminense and Flamengo – none had lost in the United States.
There may have been a few reasons for that, perhaps, including how they are only 11 games into their domestic season. They are fit, their fans are fiery, and well, they like these temperatures.
Maresca’s side would need to dig deep into their reserves for the second half.
Flamengo should have equalised after 52 minutes when Gonzalo Plata had a tap-in. The Brazilians wasted no time in wondering whether that was their moment, as two bigger ones soon followed.
They levelled it up in the 62nd minute when Chelsea’s defenders watched as Plata’s header was tapped in by Bruno Henrique. In the 65th, Flamengo led as there was another header – Henrique this time turning provider – and another tap-in – scored by Danilo.
Jackson was introduced to try to save the game. Instead, he killed it. Within four minutes of his introduction, Jackson stamped on Ayrton Lucas. It was a horrendous challenge, and well worth the straight red he was shown.
And Flamengo twisted the knife after 83 minutes, as Wallace Yan capitalised on a deflection to finish from close range.
