Chelsea Strike Twice in Stoppage Time to Edge Past Esperance in Club World Cup Thriller
What a dramatic end to the first half it was in Philadelphia as Chelsea surged into the knockout rounds of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, seeing off Tunisia’s Esperance Sportive de Tunis with two perfectly timed goals just before the break. This was no walk in the park—Esperance came in fired up, hungry for an upset, and for much of the first half, they looked like they might just pull it off. But football, as they say, is a game of moments, and Chelsea made theirs count in stoppage time.
The match started with both teams under pressure: Chelsea needed only a draw to go through, while Esperance had to win. And that urgency showed. The Tunisian side came out with energy and grit, pressing high and forcing Chelsea into mistakes. At times, they looked like the more determined team, especially as Chelsea's possession lacked real threat. It wasn’t until added time in the first half that the real breakthrough came.
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First, it was Tosin Adarabioyo rising to the occasion. A beautifully weighted free kick from Enzo Fernandez found Tosin perfectly in stride, and he placed his header expertly into the back of the net in the 45+3 minute. That goal was a sigh of relief for the Blues, who up to that point had struggled to turn their possession into real danger.
But they weren’t done yet. Just two minutes later, Liam Delap delivered what felt like the final blow of the half. Taking a smart touch inside the box, he turned calmly and slotted the ball past a helpless Ben Said, giving Chelsea a 2-0 cushion heading into halftime.
From there, the tempo changed. With Flamengo already winning the group, Chelsea knew their spot in the last 16 was secured with this scoreline. It allowed manager Enzo Maresca to breathe a little, possibly even rotate and rest players on yellow cards. Esperance, on the other hand, faced a mountain to climb in the second half. Their spirit never truly faded, but the clinical finishing of Chelsea right before the whistle took the wind out of their sails.
While the stats may show Chelsea with more possession and chances, make no mistake—this was a gritty match. Esperance made Chelsea work for every inch. But in the moments that mattered most, Chelsea showed why they’re still one of the world’s elite. Calm, composed, and ruthless when it counted.
So it’s Benfica next for Chelsea in the Round of 16. And while this wasn’t a perfect performance, the result is what counts. Two goals in two minutes, a place in the knockouts secured, and perhaps a quiet warning to the rest of the field: underestimate Chelsea at your peril.
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