Chelsea have managed to win the World Cup for club teams for the first time in their club history. Palmeiras held out for a very long time in the final in Abu Dhabi, as the decision only fell in extra time after a 1-1 final score in regular time. Kai Havertz gave Chelsea a 2-1 win from the penalty spot in the 117th after a penalty was awarded for a handball from Luan after VAR interference.
Chelsea reached the final of the World Cup for club teams for the second time in club history. Lost in 2012 the Blues in the final battle against Corinthians 1-0 and in the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, another Brazilian opponent was hit with Palmeiras. The winner of the Copa Libertadores settled in the semi-final with Al-Ahly, while Chelsea qualified for the final at the expense of Al-Hilal. Hakim Ziyech still had a basic place in the 0-1 win against the Asian champions, but manager Thomas Tuchel kept him on the reserve bench against Palmeiras.
Palmeiras – who stranded in the semi-finals of the World Cup for club teams a year ago – started the game strongly supported by a large number of fans, showed himself in particular threatening from the switch and got the first opportunities through Dudu. Tuchel suffered a major setback after half an hour of play, when he was forced to replace Mason Mount with Christian Pulisic. The scant threat from the Chelsea side in the first half came mainly from Kai Havertz and via a long shot from Thiago Silva, but the English superpower struggled to break apart Palmeiras’ highly organized defence.
The second half was ten minutes old when Chelsea opened the scoring. Callum Hudson-Odoi found Romelu Lukaku, who passed Palmeiras goalkeeper Wéverton with a hard header. The opening goal did Chelsea good, but then the score was leveled again just under ten minutes later. After intervention by the VAR, the ball was placed on the spot because of a handball by Thiago Silva. Raphael Veiga made no mistake from eleven meters, sent Édouard Mendy the wrong way and made it 1-1.
Chelsea were not put off by the equalizer and increased the pressure in the last fifteen minutes, which resulted in opportunities for Pulisic and substitute Timo Werner. Nevertheless, the Blues did not prevent the need for an extension. Ziyech soon came in as a replacement for Mateo Kovacic. Pulisic was then close to scoring when his effort hit the crossbar.
Palmeiras clearly aimed for a penalty shootout in the extension – just like in the final phase of regular time – and limited himself mainly to defending the tie. A nice cross from Ziyech was also eliminated by the defense of the Brazilian club before Havertz was able to hit the target. Finally, a moment in minute 117 brought the decision. Thanks to VAR, a penalty was awarded for a handball by Luan. Havertz scored and gave Chelsea the final victory in the World Cup for club teams for the first time in his club history, after he had already taken the winning goal in the Champions League final in May.