- Kepa, savior with a great save against Al Hilal, champion of Asia, and on Saturday the ‘blues’ will face Palmeiras in a fight for the title of kings of the world
Chelsea, European champions, traveled to Abu Dhabi to try to win the Club World Cup and proclaim themselves king of the world for the first time, and at the moment they are in the final after beating Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia, Asian champions on Wednesday. a tight 0-1. A goal from Romelu Lukaku made it possible, but the truth is that in the second half the ‘blues’ did not shine and went through some difficult moments.
Al Hilal started by putting pressure on Chelsea, but Thomas Tuchel’s men (who watched from London, isolated due to Covid) quickly took control, squeezing the Saudi team but without creating truly clear chances. The defense of the Asian champion was firm.
Until in minute 32 it was Lukaku’s hour. Former Madrid player Mateo Kovacic mounted a counterattack and sent the ball to Kai Havertz, who, thrown to the left, connected a cross towards the Belgian striker’s head. The ball bounced off Al Hilal’s defense, but Lukaku took advantage of the clearance to score at will with his right foot.
Chelsea had done the most difficult, but then the minutes passed without the ‘blues’, this Wednesday led by Zsolt Low (Tuchel’s assistant), managed to increase the advantage and calm down. The European champion did not give the handle to be able to sentence this semifinal.
On the contrary, Al Hilal grew in the second half in search of a tie and Kepa (whom Low kept as a starter after Édouard Mendy arrived on Tuesday at the concentration recently proclaimed African champion with Senegal on Sunday) starred in a great save in the 67′ after a shot by Mphamed Kanno. The Athletic exporter managed to send the ball over the crossbar.
In the final stretch, Chelsea calmed the game and had more depth with the entry of Mason Mount. Lukaku’s goal was enough for the European champions to reunite with Palmeiras in Saturday’s grand final.
MATCH FACT
Al-Hilal: Al-Muaiouf; Al Burayk, Ali Albulayhi, Al Shahrani, Hyun-Soo Jang; Cuéllar, Matheus Pereira (Delgado, 81′), Marega, Kanno, Al Dawsari (Carrillo, 81′); Ighalo
Chelsea: Kepa; Rudiger, Christensen, Thiago Silva; Marcos Alonso (Sarr, 87′), Jorginho (Kanté, 46′), Kovacic, Azpilicueta; Havertz, Lukaku and Ziyech (Mount, 72′)
Coach: Thomas Tuchel (with Covid in London; his assistant, Zsolt Low, led Chelsea)
Goal: 0-1, Lukaku (32′)
Referee: César Arturo Ramos (Mexco). He showed a yellow card to Gustavo Cuéllar and Yasir Ali Albulayhi, from Al Hilal, and to Mateo Kovacic, from Chelsea.
Incidents:semifinal match of the eighteenth edition of the Club World Cup played at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabiclose game file