The Malta Independent 25 June 2025, Wednesday
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Delap scores his first Chelsea goal in 3-0 win over Esperance in Club World Cup

Associated Press Wednesday, 25 June 2025, 08:52 Last update: about 8 hours ago

Liam Delap scored his first goal for Chelsea and Enzo Fernández has two assists in a 3-0 win over Esperance on Tuesday night that helped clinch a round-of-16 berth in the Club World Cup.

Tosin Adarabioyo scored on a header from 7 yards from Enzo Fernández's free kick in the third minute off first-half stoppage time. Delap scored two minutes later, taking Fernández's pass with his back to the goal, dribbling around Yassine Meriah and slotting it past goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said.

Tyrique George scored from the top of the circle seven minutes into second-half stoppage time on a shot that went in off the hands of Ben Said.

A crowd of 32,967 attended the match at Lincoln Financial Field on a 90-degree night during a heat wave. There were hydration breaks in both halves.

Key moment

Delap's goal was his first since the 22-year-old joined Chelsea from Ipswich just before the tournament.

Takeaways

Chelsea finished with six points, one behind Group D leader Flamengo, and will play Benfica on Saturday at Charlotte, North Carolina, in the round of 16. Esperance finished third in Group D and was eliminated.

What they said

"Coming to this club of this size and getting my first goal means everything to me. Every goal is special, and this one is definitely up there." - Chelsea forward Liam Delap.

"We see that the public is always with us. Esperance fans are always present when we travel. There's great passion around the club." - Esperance midfielder Mohamed Wael Derbali

 

Bouanga scores Los Angeles' lone Club World Cup goal in 1-1 draw with Flamengo

Wallace Yan scored in the 86th minute, giving Flamengo a 1-1 draw with already eliminated Los Angeles FC in the Club World Cup on Tuesday night.

Denis Bouanga scored LA's only goal of the tournament in the 84th minute.

Flamengo won Group D with seven points, one ahead of Chelsea.

The result marked the first Club World Cup match in Orlando to finish without a weather delay, as well as the highest attendance in Orlando so far, with 32,933 fans filling a 60,219 capacity Camping World Stadium.

Key moment

Marlon appeared to score Los Angeles' first goal of the tournament in the 38th minute but the goal was disallowed on an offside call.

Takeaways

Flamengo secured a spot in the knockout rounds with a 3-1 win over Chelsea on Friday and will face Bayern Munich on Sunday at Miami Gardens, Florida. LA, last year's Major League soccer Western Conference champion, finished with two losses and a draw.

What they said

"Overall, we're quite happy. Of course it stings right now but... our players will realize they can be proud of this performance." - Steve Cherundolo, Los Angeles coach.

"We had a great group stage. We achieved our objective in an early manner. Now we're thinking about Bayern and nothing but Bayern." - Filipe Luís, Flamengo coach.

 

Club World Cup: Benfica beats Bayern Munich in scorching heat to win Group C

 

Andreas Schjelderup scored in the 13th minute to give Benfica a 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in scorching heat on Tuesday, sending the Portuguese club to the top of Group C in the Club World Cup.

The loss dropped Bayern Munich to second place as Boca Juniors was eliminated.

The game was played in a 97 degree temperature (36 Celsius). Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni was attended by the medical staff in the 25th minute due to heat-related issues and was replaced in the 55th.

Schjelderup ran onto a cross from Fredrik Aursnes and scored with a right-footed shot from near the penalty spot.

Bayern's Joshua Kimmich put the ball in the net in the 61st minute but the goal was disallowed because Harry Kane was in an offside position in the line of sight of goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.

Bayern lost its first match loss of the tournament as it struggled to find a rhythm ahead of the knockout stages later this week, despite a late attacking effort including a disallowed goal.

Key moment

Schjelderup's early goal changed the dynamic. Though insufficient, Bayern made an attacking effort that fell short against Benfica's organized defense, leaving the German champions unable to find an equalizer despite increased pressure in the second half.

Key stat

Bayern started only four of players from the starting lineup in Friday's win over Boca Juniors and introduced all five substitutes at the start of the second half: Kane, Kimmich, Konrad Laimer, Michael Olise and Jonathan Tah.

What they said

"Opponents play tough .... In the end when the goalkeeper is the man of the match, then you did not do everything wrong." - Thomas Müller of Bayern Munich.

"It's an important victory. We played a great game, especially in the first half. In the second half, it was obviously more difficult but we knew how to suffer." - Nedim Bajrami of Benfica.

 

Auckland City draws Boca Juniors 1-1 in 5th Club World Cup match with weather delay

Christian Gray scored Auckland City's first goal of the Club World Cup early in the second half before a 50-minute suspension caused by lightning in the area, and the amateur team gained a 1-1 draw against Boca Juniors on Tuesday as the Argentine club was eliminated.

On a humid day with a game-time temperature of 93 degrees (34 Celsius) the crowd of 16,899 at 30,109-capacity Geodis Park was forced to wait when play was suspended in the 54th minute, the fifth weather delay of the tournament's group stage.

Boca went ahead in the 26th minute when Lautaro Di Lollo's header from a corner kick hit a post and bounced in off goalkeeper Nathan Garrow's arm for an own goal.

Gray tied the score in the 52nd with a header from Jerson Lagos' corner kick. The match was suspended in the 54th.

The start of Ulsan's June 17 match against Mamelodi Sundowns in Orlando, Florida, was delayed 65 minutes by thunderstorms and the Salzburg-Pachuca game in Cincinnati the next day was stopped in the 54th minute for a 97-minute delay caused by a thunderstorm.

A June 19 match between Palmeiras and Al Ahly in East Rutherford, New Jersey, was stopped for 50 minutes in the 62nd minute because of weather, and Auckland's game against Benfica at Orlando on Friday was suspended for 2 hours, 14 minutes during halftime.

 

Key moment

A goal by Boca Juniors' Miguel Merentiel in the 59th minute was overturned in a video review because of a handball by midfielder Kevin Zenón.

Takeaways

Boca outshot Auckland 40-3 and Garrow had 10 saves.

What they said

"I'm just happy. It's been a tough trip. We've had some tough results, but I'm just happy for the team and the boys. I think we deserve it. We got a little bit of respect back, I hope." - Christian Gray of Auckland City.

"Goes without saying that we will continue working as soon as possible." - Boca Juniors manager Miguel Ángel Russo.

 


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