The Japan Times - Joao Pedro brace sends Chelsea into Club World Cup final

The Brazilian striker opened the scoring in lethal fashion in the 18th minute of the last-four clash at the MetLife Stadium and struck again shortly before the hour mark as Chelsea set up a showdown with either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain in the final on Sunday.

Signed from Brighton and Hove Albion just last week for a reported £60 million ($79 million), the 23-year-old cut short an off-season holiday and made his debut off the bench in the quarter-final win over Palmeiras.

He was then given his first Chelsea start up front here in place of the suspended Liam Delap.

Joao Pedro refused to celebrate after either goal against the club with whom he started his career and made 36 top-team appearances before moving to England with Watford in 2020.

The result ends Fluminense's impressive run at the tournament after the 2023 Copa Libertadores winners had held Borussia Dortmund in the group stage, beaten Inter Milan in the last 16 and knocked out Manchester City's conquerors Al-Hilal in the quarter-finals.

With their exit go the prospects of a South American winner of the first 32-team edition of the Club World Cup, with Chelsea claiming back-to-back victories against Brazilian opposition to reach the final.

As always seemed most likely, the trophy will be claimed by one of Europe's superpowers, with the final now guaranteed to be between two of the last five winners of the UEFA Champions League.

Fluminense coach Renato Portaluppi had described his team as the "ugly duckling" of the tournament due to the enormous difference between their budget and those of the other three sides left in the United States.

This game ultimately proved to be a step too far for their team, captained by 40-year-old former Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva.

- Caicedo back -

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca was without the suspended Levi Colwill and Delap but midfield lynchpin Moises Caicedo returned after sitting out the win over Palmeiras in Philadelphia due to a ban.

The Premier League side were simply too strong for their opponents in a game watched by 70,556 fans on a hot afternoon just outside New York City.

They went ahead thanks to a wonderful strike by their new forward, who controlled the ball on the edge of the box after Silva had cleared a Pedro Neto cross.

Joao Pedro took a touch and curled a shot beyond veteran goalkeeper Fabio into the far corner, before holding up his hands apologetically towards the Fluminense fans massed behind the goal.

The team from Rio de Janeiro were an intermittent threat, and Hercules -- match-winner against Al-Hilal in the last eight -- almost equalised in the 25th minute.

He played a one-two with German Cano and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, but Marc Cucurella got back to clear off the line.

Fluminense were then awarded a penalty 10 minutes before the interval when a set-piece delivery by Rene struck the arm of Trevoh Chalobah in the box.

However, French referee Francois Letexier overturned the decision following a VAR check.

Chelsea got their second on 56 minutes, just after Fluminense had sacrificed one of their three centre-backs to send on an extra attacker.

Enzo Fernandez released Joao Pedro on the break, and the forward who scored 10 goals in the Premier League last season for Brighton produced another clinical finish in off the bar.

There were chances for Chelsea to score further goals after that, but the new boy's double strike sufficed.

Y.Mori--JT