Updated / Monday, 16 Jun 2025 22:32
**Chelsea 2-0 Los Angeles FC**
Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez were on target as Chelsea started their Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over Los Angeles FC in front of a stadium which was less than a third full in Atlanta.
The players walked out at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which holds a capacity of 71,000, with only 22,137 fans in attendance and the entire upper tier of the arena was completely vacant.
Chelsea played in front of over 70,000 fans at the same venue against Newcastle in the Premier League's Summer Series just a couple of years ago but deserted seats were the common theme this time as Enzo Maresca’s side claimed the first three points of their campaign.
The few who turned up saw Neto open Chelsea’s account just after the half-hour mark to give the Blues a well-deserved lead heading into the half-time break.
Chelsea were made to work hard for their second goal, with summer signing Liam Delap introduced after the break and he supplied fellow substitute Fernandez with the second to seal the victory 11 minutes from time.
The Conference League winners broke the deadlock in the 34th minute. Neto broke the offside trap and latched onto Nicolas Jackson’s magnificent pass and the Portugal international cut the ball back in and fired into the bottom corner.
New signing Delap was introduced for his Chelsea debut in the 63rd minute and instantly made an impact. He almost made a second with his dazzling footwork on the byline but his pass into the box was snuffed out.
Chelsea continued to probe in search of a two-goal cushion and they found it in the 79th minute – Delap got the assist as he hung a ball into the middle of the box and Fernandez was waiting to tap home.