It should have been a smooth ride through to the knockout stages of the Club World Cup for Chelsea.
With the iconic Rocky Steps just around the corner in Philadelphia, the stage was set for a triumphant stride into the next round.
But instead of rising to the moment, Chelsea stumbled—and then completely fell apart.
Early Lead Feels Like a Distant Memory
Enzo Maresca’s squad actually started with promise.
After defending a set-piece, they launched a lightning counterattack.
Reece James sent a clearance upfield, Pedro Neto raced onto it, and thanks to a poor touch from Flamengo’s Wesley Franca, Neto buried the one-on-one chance to make it 1–0.
It was the kind of start that hinted Chelsea might be able to enjoy the weekend worry-free before their final group game against Tunisia’s ES Tunis. But any sense of control was short-lived.
Flamengo Pounces on Sloppy Defending
From there, Chelsea’s backline turned passive. Flamengo began to find their rhythm, and in the 62nd minute, Bruno Henrique pounced on a header from Gonzalo Plata to level things up.
Just moments later, Henrique turned creator, feeding Danilo for a second goal as Chelsea’s defence once again went missing in action.
It was like the Blues turned into statues—watching, not reacting—and Flamengo made them pay.
Jackson’s Reckless Red Changes the Game
Desperate to rescue the game, Maresca brought on Nicolas Jackson in the 64th minute.
But what followed was nothing short of self-sabotage.
Within four minutes, Jackson was back off the pitch, sent off for a reckless challenge where he raked his studs down Ayrton Lucas’s shin.
It wasn’t even up for debate. A clear red, and a huge blow to Chelsea’s hopes of a comeback.
A Pattern of Trouble for Jackson
This isn’t the first time Jackson has cost his team.
Near the end of the last Premier League season, he was also sent off in a crucial match against Newcastle—an incident that almost derailed Chelsea’s push for a Champions League spot.
Maresca didn’t mince words after this one. “It was a red card so nothing else to say,” he stated. That summed it up.
Flamengo Seal the Deal
Down to 10 men and clearly shaken, Chelsea crumbled further. Flamengo took full advantage, with Wallace Yan adding a third to cap off the win.
The Brazilian sides have been flying in this tournament—Palmeiras, Botafogo, Fluminense, and now Flamengo—all undefeated on U.S. soil.
Part of that might come down to timing. The Brazilians are in mid-season form, their fans brought plenty of heat, and so did the weather.
Fiery Start, Flat Finish
It’s not like this game lacked intensity from the beginning. Moises Caicedo picked up an early yellow for a strong challenge on Jorginho—yes, that Jorginho, now in Flamengo red after joining from Arsenal.
Chelsea were aggressive early, but as the game wore on, they ran out of fight—and discipline.
Chelsea’s Next Steps and a Striker’s Future in Doubt
Now Chelsea face a must-win final group game, and they’ll have to do it without Jackson, who’ll be suspended.
It’s also likely that young Liam Delap will now carry the weight up front.
The bigger question might be what this means for Jackson’s future.
Talent isn’t the issue—availability and composure are. And if Chelsea can’t count on him in key moments, it might be time for some tough decisions.