How Did Palmer Lead Chelsea to Victory Over PSG in the FIFA Club World Cup?

New Jersey, July 14 (NationPress) Chelsea FC have claimed the title of the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup champions, thanks to an outstanding display by Cole Palmer, who propelled the Premier League team to a commanding 3-0 triumph against ten-man Paris Saint-Germain on Monday (IST).

In an electrifying final held at the MetLife Stadium, Palmer netted two goals within a remarkable eight-minute span during the first half and assisted Joao Pedro just before halftime, setting the stage for the Blues to secure a well-deserved victory over the reigning European champions.

Chelsea emerged as the tournament's top scorers, racking up 17 goals, surpassing PSG, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich, who all finished with 16.

Luis Enrique's squad, aiming for a historic quadruple of major trophies in the 2024/25 season, was stunned by Chelsea's relentless first-half attack, appearing far from the team that convincingly defeated Real Madrid C.F. in the semi-finals, according to reports from FIFA.

The London team’s dominant performance capped off a highly successful tournament and reinforces their reputation as a formidable contender in both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League next season.

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca made two adjustments to his lineup following the semi-final victory over Fluminense FC, bringing in Levi Colwill and Reece James for Tosin Adarabioyo and Christopher Nkunku, while Joao Pedro retained his position up front.

These tactical changes yielded immediate results, with the Blues appearing threatening right from the start. Palmer nearly broke the deadlock in the seventh minute with a curling left-footed shot that narrowly missed the target.

Although PSG began to settle, Chelsea full-back Marc Cucurella made a crucial block on a dangerous pass from Desire Doue intended for Achraf Hakimi.

However, Chelsea continued to press and took the lead in the 22nd minute when Joao Pedro surged down the right flank and squared the ball to Palmer, who stylishly found the net.

With their confidence soaring, Palmer doubled Chelsea’s advantage with a similar effort, gliding forward to the edge of the PSG area and elegantly placing the ball into the same bottom corner.

The England international capped off a sensational first half by delivering a perfectly weighted through ball to Joao Pedro, who cleverly lobbed the ball over Gianluigi Donnarumma for his third goal in two matches.

PSG struggled to respond to Chelsea's defensive organization, and Liam Delap nearly added to the scoreline with two close chances after coming on as a substitute in the second half.

Any hope of a comeback was extinguished when Joao Neves was sent off six minutes from time for pulling Cucurella's hair, as Chelsea held firm to etch their name in football history.