Liam Delap marked his Chelsea debut with an assist as the Blues began their Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC at a nearly empty Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Pedro Neto opened the scoring with a near-post finish after being played through in the first half. Chelsea doubled their lead after the break when Enzo Fernandez tapped in from close range following a well-placed cross from Delap, who came on as a substitute in the 64th minute. Despite struggling to dominate, Chelsea’s clinical finishing proved decisive.
World Cup winners Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris featured for LAFC, who missed key chances through Denis Bouanga and David Martinez. Chelsea midfielder Dario Essugo also made his first appearance as the team secured their eighth win in nine games, including their recent Conference League triumph.
Delap impresses on first appearance
The 22-year-old forward, who recently joined Chelsea from Ipswich in a £30m transfer, made an immediate impact in his 30-minute cameo. After collecting the ball deep in midfield, Delap drove forward and nearly created a goal for Fernandez before delivering a chipped cross that the Argentine converted.
Delap continued to show promise, making a 25-yard run that led to another opportunity late in the match. His decision to skip England Under-21 duty for the tournament was quickly justified by his confident and creative performance.
Low turnout raises questions before 2026 World Cup
Only 22,137 supporters attended the game at a venue that can seat over 71,000, sparking concern with the next World Cup just a year away. While Atlanta regularly hosts the largest crowds in Major League Soccer through Atlanta United, the turnout for this high-profile match was notably low.
Observers pointed to several contributing factors, including expensive tickets, limited local promotion, and an inconvenient 3pm weekday kickoff. A Power Rangers convention and a UFC event were also taking place in the city, possibly diverting attention from the match.
Just two years ago, a friendly between Chelsea and Newcastle drew over 70,000 fans at the same stadium.
What lies ahead
Chelsea will continue their Group D campaign against Flamengo in Philadelphia on Friday evening. LAFC next face ES Tunis in Nashville later that night. The group stage concludes the following Tuesday, with Chelsea meeting Tunis and LAFC taking on Flamengo.
