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Chelsea FC 2, LAFC 0: Los Angeles get rough welcome to the world’s stage

A lethargic Chelsea side still too much for LAFC in Club World Cup opener
Trebor TracyBy 5 Mins Read
LAFC forward Oliver Giroud's familiarity with Europe didn't help this time, but should in the long run of this tournament. Photo courtesy of Los Angeles FC

The thing about life on the world stage, is that it isn’t easy. There is a reason most of Europe is viewed as strongly as they are, and in the FIFA Club World Cup opener for LAFC, Chelsea FC proved that fact. Despite their current tremendous form as of late, and with the London side playing about as lackadaisical as we have seen from them, it was a steep hill to climb for one of MLS’ best sides. Still, despite the two goal loss in Atlanta, LAFC might be feeling a sense of disappointment but also, confidence. While the gap in talent was at times painfully clear, this was still a match that, had Los Angeles been a bit more clinical in the final third, could have ended with them at least coming away with a point. Match one may not have gone their way, but this tournament is just getting started and if they want to advance past group stages, they will need to brush this one off quick, and adjust going into the next one.

LAFC did a great job in the first half keeping Chelsea out of the back of the net early on, considered how both sides came out. Despite looking like a side that was in the middle of an off-season, Chelsea controlled the first half, while LAFC were working hard to break down what was a difficult defense to get past. The London side finished the first half with nine shots to LAFC’s one, a 93% success rate on 350 passes while LAFC only mustered 185 passes with 85% success, and more importantly led on the scoresheet. It took 33 minutes, but an excellent pass from Nicolas Jackson found Pedro Neto on the run as he got past the defense, then made a move to send a defender flying past, finishing the run off with a strike that blew past Lloris for the first goal of the match.

We all know LAFC are a second half squad, and even though the first half wasn’t the best showing, it still felt like a result was obtainable. As crisp as they looked at times, Chelsea were far from their potential deadly form, and all LAFC needed was a few solid attacks to really make it interesting. Los Angeles did well to get more looks at goal in the second half, finishing with six shots, three finding their target, but they couldn’t get any corners and still only produced 160 passes. Still, there were a few times it looked like an equalizer was in the cards, but they just weren’t clinical enough in front of goal on the day.

After several missed opportunities over the course of the second half, Chelsea put the game away near the end of the math with their second goal. Coming in the 78th minute, a cross from out wide found its way in the box, where the LAFC defense got caught out, as Enzo Fernandez controlled the ball and put it home to double the lead for the London side. The goal all but ended any hopes of a result for Los Angeles, as Chelsea would go on to win the Group D opener.

The loss in Atlanta was a bit of a wake-up call for LAFC. You’re not in the MLS anymore, and doing just enough to try and get a result late, wont work against a lot of these teams. They won’t beat themselves, so the black & gold will have to earn their wins, and they can do. It was always going to be tough with Chelsea FC as the opener, but it also is a bit of an iron sharpens iron situation because they got to go up against one of the stronger sides in their group. Now, the focus shifts  as the team travel to Nashville before their meeting with ES Tunis in just a few days. The top two teams from each group will advance, so this tournament is far from over for Los Angeles.

Thoughts on the Club World Cup opener? Leave a comment below!

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