Chelsea kick off their Club World Cup run with a 2-0 victory over LAFC at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, thanks to goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez.
Enzo Maresca stuck with a strong lineup but made plenty of substitutions from the bench - including new signings Liam Delap and Dario Essugo. Delap shone in particular, nabbing a debut assist as he looks to challenge Nicolas Jackson for the number nine spot.
LAFC had a ten-game unbeaten streak heading into this fixture, but did not have an answer for the Blues' intense press and depth of squad - former club striker Olivier Giroud made an appearance in the second half, but was kept at bay by a resolute and solid defence.
This was Chelsea's first match since their triumph in the UEFA Conference League final - while it was not exactly vintage, a win and a clean sheet will give this young squad some confidence as they look to challenge deep into the competition.
Here is how every Chelsea player rated in this match:
Starting Lineup
Robert Sanchez - 7
Largely untested in the Chelsea goal, but was solid when called upon. Will hope to maintain his starting spot after the club's reported interest in other goalkeeping options.
Reece James - 7
More of a defender than a attacking full-back, shifting to a back three whenever his team were in possession, but was comfortable when advancing forward and provided backup for Pedro Neto on the wing.
Tosin Adarabioyo - 7.5
A confident outing from the defender. Some great reactions to cut out any danger, and used his aerial dominance well to deal with crosses.
Levi Colwill - 7.5
Tremendous last line of defence, knowing to step in and win the ball back. Was reliable when called upon, especially in the second half.
Marc Cucurella - 6.5
A somewhat mixed bag for the Spaniard, who was hit or miss defensively and couldn't apply his usual threat further up the pitch. Shifted into several positions including centre back and central midfield.
Romeo Lavia - 7
Not risked for the second half, Lavia will be hoping to maintain his fitness for the upcoming season - as his line-breaking passes are a useful tool in Chelsea's arsenal.
Moises Caicedo - 8
Hard-working and energetic as always, but could have benefitted from an earlier sub as his levels dropped in the second half.
Noni Madueke - 6
A lot of the Blues' early attacks went through the winger, but he was not quite at his best with several opportunities easily dealt with by LA.
Pedro Neto - 9
Hard-working on the right wing. Took his time for Chelsea's opener, with a great piece of skill to lose his marker and a powerful near-post finish. Nearly doubled his tally, hitting the crossbar with the final kick of the match.
Cole Palmer - 7.5
While he couldn't offer a goal contribution, Chelsea's new number 10 had a handful of strong chances and some wonderful deliveries into the box.
Nicolas Jackson - 8
Produced a fantastic assist for Neto's opening goal; Jackson was prolific when dropping deep and setting up chances out wide, with some great decision making.
Substitutions
Enzo Fernandez - 8
Added some extra creativity in the midfield. Very good ball control and first touch to maintain possession in the centre of the pitch. A well taken goal to double Chelsea's lead.
Malo Gusto - 7
Largely solid in defence. A few positional errors, but the Frenchman did well to recover and cut out any danger.
Liam Delap - 7.5
Subbed on for his Chelsea debut. Some effective runs in behind. Great link-up play with Enzo, setting up the midfielder for his goal. Should give Jackson some much needed competition at the striker spot.
Tyrique George - 6.5
Calm and collective during his defensive duties, but slightly reserved in attack.
Dario Essugo - 6
Another debutant - Essugo was brought on for the final few minutes in place of Caicedo, and demonstrated glimpses of his quality - but did not have much time to make an impact.
Christopher Nkunku - 6
The final Blues sub of the afternoon, Nkunku looked unsure of his position and did not have a chance to attack the LA back line.