Fluminense edged past Al-Hilal 2-1, while Chelsea defeated Palmeiras by the same scoreline, securing their semi-final clash. Palmeiras' Estêvão impressed, earning praise from both managers despite his impending move to Chelsea.
The Club World Cup has reached its business end, with two teams booking their semi-final spots on Friday. Here's a breakdown of the day's events.
Fluminense sealed their semi-final spot with a 2-1 win over Saudi Pro outfit Al-Hilal in Orlando. This victory continues the impressive run of Brazilian clubs in the tournament.
Chelsea triumphed over Palmeiras by the same score line (2-1) at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, denying a potential all-Brazilian semi-final clash between Fluminense and Palmeiras.
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Player of the Day: Estêvão
Palmeiras winger Estêvão stole the show with a well-taken equalizer from an acute angle, earning him the Player of the Match award. His performance caught the attention of Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, who is excited about Estêvão's upcoming arrival at Chelsea.
Semi-final takes shape
Chelsea will face Fluminense in the semi-finals, a team that has already stunned Inter and frustrated Borussia Dortmund in the tournament. The other semi-final spot will be decided after Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, and Dortmund and Real Madrid, battle it out.
Post-match reactions
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca praised Estêvão, saying: "You can see he is a huge talent... We are going to help him to adapt and first of all to enjoy football."
Palmeiras manager Abel Ferreira reflected on Estêvão's departure, saying: "I spoke before with Maresca and told him: 'You bought an amazing player but more than this you bought an amazing person'."
Fluminense's Thiago Silva revealed his pre-match message to his teammates: “I wasn’t sure if I should say anything at all but what I said was very personal, something I hold dear to me all the time. I always say to never leave anything unsaid. Tell your friends and family you love them."
