Chelsea v LAFC: Membership World Cup – dwell | Membership World Cup 2025

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Enzo Fernandez scores their second goal.”,”caption”:”Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez scores their second goal.”,”credit”:”Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters”}}),”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1750106658000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”21.44 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1750106819000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”21.46 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1750106756000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”21.45 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”21.45″,”title”:”GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 LAFC (Fernandez 80)”,”contributors”:(),”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 16 Jun 2025 21.52 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 16 Jun 2025 19.00 BST”},{“id”:”685075938f08acdd2cafc895″,”elements”:({“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

A bit of a set-to to end the half, Bounaga and Neto sharing sentiments once the whistle goes with various others getting, er, in and around them. But the ref intercedes and off everyone trots.

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This is beautifully taken. Again, Jackson does really well, taking the ball after Cucurella wins it and slithering along the halfway line before setting Neto away. His first touch is poor, taking him down the line rather than towards goal, but a a lovely chop inside, sending Hollingshead off to Chick-fill-A, opens everything, and he lashes a finish inside the near post to set Chelsea away.

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Pedro Neto scores their first goal.”,”caption”:”Chelsea’s Pedro Neto scores their first goal.”,”credit”:”Photograph: Dale Zanine/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters”}}),”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1750102583000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”20.36 BST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1750103099000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”20.44 BST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1750102737000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”20.38 BST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”20.38″,”title”:”GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 LAFC (Neto 34)”,”contributors”:(),”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 16 Jun 2025 21.52 BST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Mon 16 Jun 2025 19.00 BST”},{“id”:”68505cc28f088dfd6f2b52ab”,”elements”:({“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Lavia, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Madueke; Jackson. Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Gusto, Chalobah, Badiashile, Sarr, Anselmino, Essugo, Fernandez, Santos, Dewsbury-Hall, George, Nkunku, Delap, Guiu.

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LAFC (4-3-3): Lloris; Palencia, Long, Segura, Hollingshead; Tillman, Jesus, Delgado; Ordaz, Ebobisse, Bouanga. Subs: Ochoa, Hasal, Chanot, Tafari, Marlon, Saldaña, Raposo, Dilrosun, Amaya, Holm, Yeboah, Wibowo, Martínez, Giroud.

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It’s hard to know what to feel here, isn’t it? On the one hand, a confected competition, staged for impure reasons, by men of questionable character, in a country undergoing a fascist takeover, skewing domestic competitive balance yet further, while players trudge through yet more games; on the other hand, FOOTBALL.

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LAFC did not qualify for this competition automatically, by winning the Concacaf Champions League; rather, they won a play-in after León, former Concacaf Champions League winners, were disqualified for infringing club ownership structure rules. But here they are so here we are, the fifth-best side in the Western Conference, we’ll never sing that.

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Facing them we have none other than the reigning Conference League champions – who, in fairness, did actually win the Champions League to make it into this tournament. And Chelsea are, in various ways, a prime example of the vain, venal, narcissistic decadence it represents … but how exciting might it be if, suddenly, they click?

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Kick-off: 3pm local, 8pm BST

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Key occasions

87 min Good from Chelsea, Delpa seizing a free ball and exhibiting nice toes in flicking a pass for George, who finds Neto. He crosses to the encourage post, the place a gorgeous final-ditch header from Palencia takes the ball away from the waiting Nkunku.

85 min Martinez runs at Colwill, tries a inaccurate to the encourage post with the skin of his boot … and there’s too a lot on it.

84 min Now two modifications for Chelsea: off lunge Palmer and Caicedo, on attain Nkunku and Dario Essugo.

82 min A switch I overlooked after the procedure: LA despatched Amaya on for Jesus.

81 min Lengthy ball over the highest, Gusto gets nowhere shut to it, and Bouanga is onto it! He falls – but was he shoved? – then, from the floor, somehow tranquil swivels precise into a shot … that Sanchez saves. Gusto is lucky, because there was contact that made a disagreement, when he was nowhere shut to the ball.

No longer from now on they’re no longer! Palmer rolls down the side of the LA defence for Delap, who crosses properly, and, bursting into the box, Fernandez controls along with his body on the trip, then hammers dwelling from shut differ.

77 min Now Tillman sneaks across the skin of Cucurella, stands up a inaccurate, and Gusto heads away from Giroud, unbiased, then Colwill faucets away when Bouanga crosses, Martinez has a shot blocked and a ball to the some distance post is slid at the encourage of by Bouanga, tranquil there from the outdated effort … but he was offside. At 1-0, LAFC are tranquil bang in this.

76 min Delap bullocks into the box but Tillman gets in front of him and awaits the inevitable ugly. the fresh boy is doing his handiest to ingratiate himself with the Chelsea enhance.

75 min Cucurella shoves Martinez in the encourage, who goes down clutching an ankle, and he’s booked.

73 min “Chelsea obtain three world-class avid gamers in Caicedo, Cucurella and James (if he stays match and not utilizing a doubt),” reckons Julian Menz. “Palmer and Enzo are nearly there. Lavia isn’t too shabby either, and we’ve but to search what an proper striker, Delap, can create to serve the wingers. No longer to level to the advent of Santos and Estevao. Too younger precise now? Potentially. Doable contenders? Fully.”

I’m taking a perceive forward to seeing Estevao, but the others? Correct avid gamers, but a model off the ideally suited spherical in mine. Overview them to, lisp, Salah, Alisson and Van Dijk, or Kante, Hazard and Diego Costa.

72 min It’s a whereas since LA obtain mustered a crucial assault, but as I form, Hollingshead finds himself in an developed issue down the left, he dashes across a tame field from Gusto, shoots … and the ball whizzes over the highest. Warning for Chelsea.

70 min Caicedo into Neto, who slips a nice reverse-pass into the box for Palmer; he appears to be like inside, fancy he’s going to inaccurate or look the some distance corner, handiest to drag a construct excessive, but over the highest.

69 min Correct circulation from Delap, one trip for the defender and one other trip for himself, so when the ball comes he has home to diddle Lengthy on the skin, but his lower-encourage, looking out out for Caicedo, is blocked.

67 min Bounaga is penalised for a ugly on Fernandez, he stos in front of the ball, and Cucurella kicks it into him looking out to get him booked. “No need for that,” moralises Michael Brown.

66 min Chelsea unfold to George, who lays encourage for Fernandez … and his curler is blocked.

65 min Delap celebrates that debut by ostentatiously pushing Lengthy over. Kerry Dixon will seemingly be kvelling.

64 min Two more modifications for Chelsea: off lunge Madueke, who marks the event with a pair of snot rockets, and Jackson, with George and Delap coming on, the latter for his Chelsea debut.

63 min Martinez whacks Cucurella across the calves – that’s more of a booking than the shove for which he was booked – kicks the ball away, and the ref presents him what ought to be a final warning.

62 min This time, the corner goes into the box, winding up with gusto over the some distance side; he crosses and Jackson heads broad.

61 min Palmer pulls precise and beats a pair of men by sliding a pass between them for Jackson, whose return is depressed. But he collects it on the different hand, nips outside Palencia, and his shot is blocked at the encourage of.

58 min Cucurella bumps Martinez, who shoves him encourage; naturally, Cucurella collapses in a heap of curls, fancy the Horrible Witch of the West after Dorothy chucks the bucket of water (apologies for the spoiler). Martinez is booked.

57 min Lengthy, browsing ball over the highest and Bouanga is procedure-side of Neto! And he does beautifully to help him off too, then appears to be like to comb his shot contained in the shut to post – no longer the construct Sanchez is looking ahead to, but one who it’s simpler to put … and he does, stretching out a foot. That was a in actuality precise likelihood.

56 min “Bill doesn’t sound a in actuality current touring fan,” laments Tim Stappard. “A cheerful medium could perchance be huge. Craven Cottage presumably?”

Some significantly menacing prices in the hostelries spherical that suggests.

55 min The 2d corner also goes rapid, coming to nowt.

54 min It goes rapid to Palmer, who finds Neto, who teases a toothsome ball in direction of the some distance post, the place Jackson is up … but his header flicks a defender and goes at the encourage of.

53 min Chelsea lunge straight encourage on the assault with Colwill turning up on the left waft to salvage a corner.

51 min But right here they attain all but again, Martinez place of abode towards Cucurella and slowing him down, then nipping off on his outside handiest to search out he’s too off-steadiness to create anything rather then screw a shot broad of the shut to post. Still, although, that’s encouraging for LA – Martinez, handiest 19, appears to be like fancy he’s bought slightly of one thing.

51 min Good from LA, who gain Martinez outside the box, precise of centre; he dips inside, tries a curler, and the ball hits Giroud and flies at the encourage of.

50 min Horny from Neto, who draws Hollingshead in, scalds him on the skin … and could moreover’t gain Jackson along with his lower-encourage.

48 min How some distance create we contemplate Chelsea are from a reliable title field? It’s fantastic in actuality, given what quantity of money they’ve spent, that the doubtlessly precise resolution is “very”. There are, and not utilizing a doubt, many methods to repeat, but most incessantly speaking the side that wins it has at the least three avid gamers among the ideally suited on this planet in their issue; create Chelsea obtain any?

46 min He could perchance obtain long gone off, but I trust the LA fans obtain a song for Ebobisse to this banger:

46 min We lunge all but again…

Giroud is now not any longer topless. He’d forgotten his shirt, but a teammate fetches it for him and he replaces Ebobisse.

I in actuality obtain a Giroud memoir, which I’ve without doubt relayed sooner than, but right here we lunge: I was in the discotheque and noticed him in the bathroom; the attendant goes “Oi, you’re … you’re …” so Olivier Giroud presents “Olivier Giroud?”. “Yeah, that’s precise,” is of the same opinion the attendant, at which level hilarious me intejects “You would possibly perchance repeat because he’s taking a perceive in the contemplate adjusting his hair.”

Oh how they laughed.

Adjustments for Chelsea: Fernandez and Gusto for Lavia and James. Oh, and Olivier Giroud, on the LAFC bench, has his stock up. Wonderful scenes!

Half of-time electronic mail: “Americanized stadiums no longer a patch on the supreme outdated faculty days at Roker Park, The Den and plenty others? I dunno,” muses Bill. “I was pissed on by the dwelling fans at Loftus Freeway, the away fans at Portman Freeway, attacked by West Ham fans at the outdated favorite Wembley. Wait on to the 80s? No thanks!”

There and not utilizing a doubt exists a cheerful medium.

Half of-time leisure:

A little little bit of a spot of abode-to to total the half of, Bounaga and Neto sharing sentiments once the whistle goes with varied others getting, er, in and spherical them. But the ref intercedes and off everybody trots.

Forty five+2 min Jackson, the ideally suited participant on the pitch to this level, finds Madueke, whose inaccurate sails ability beyond the some distance post.

Forty five+1 min We’ll obtain one extra minute; Bouanga all but again curls in, and this time, Ebobisse is offside.

Forty five min Ebobisse turns Tosin, who slips and slides anyway; he’s booked. Free-kick LA, 25 yards out, precise of centre.

43 min “If a procedure is scored in a forest, but no person sees it, does it tranquil depend as a procedure?” wonders Ross McLelland. “Let me know.”

It could perchance in point of fact perchance presumably be a dream. This in actuality took issue to me at lord’s on Wednesday, when my eyes were feeling heavy and I was unbiased brooding about resting them, then Steve Smith bought himself out to Aiden Markram and I wasn’t sure if it was reverie or actuality.

41 min There’s no sense LA obtain the wherewithal to get encourage into this, but as lengthy because it’s 1-0, they’ve a likelihood. And right here they attain now, Martinez to Palencia, whose early inaccurate is nodded encourage into the middle by Bouanga, but Ebobisse slips.

39 min The ref cam is a nice innovation – it presents us a in actuality precise sense of the physicality and trip of issues.

38 min Ordaz goes off, then Bouanga curls the free-kick into the middle and Sanchez flicks at the encourage of; Martinez then comes on.

37 min Oh, Ordaz, having taken a ball to the highest, has an field, and o attain the doctors.

36 min A lengthy kick-out from Lloris sets Bouanga at James, who leaps precise into a field, misses the ball, catches Bounaga along with his body, and is booked. Naturally, Michael Brown, in co-comms, thinks it’s horny, but LA obtain a free-kick a yard or two from the by-line, between corner flag and box.

Right here’s beautifully taken. Over again, Jackson does in actuality properly, taking the ball after Cucurella wins it and slithering along the halfway line sooner than environment Neto away. His first touch is depressed, taking him down the line as a alternative of in direction of procedure, but a a nice carve inside, sending Hollingshead off to Chick-maintain-A, opens every thing, and he lashes a construct contained in the shut to post to position of abode Chelsea away.

31 min “I noticed NUFC play Chelsea in the Mercedes Benz Stadium in 2023,” advises Reuven Fletcher. “It’s a in actuality spectacular issue, if that’s your invent of ingredient, the intention in which forward for prime flight ‘match-day skills’ because it becomes increasingly Americanised and commodified. Stout of rapid meals chain restaurants and People in the shirts of sides no longer participating int he game (Arsenal, Man Metropolis and plenty others) as they compulsory in on the Premier League skills. Some very friendly Atalanta Fans who had attain along to enhance Migeul Almiron, who was at NUFC then, asked in the event that they ought to enhance Newcastle. I mentioned unbiased follow your crew, it’s sufficient.

Give me Filbert Avenue, Roker Park, The Baseball Ground and the specter of a hiding at the Normal Den any day over Chick-maintain-A and plenty others in my idea.”

I agree – intensity and involvement are a lot more crucial than search-lines and legroom, at the least for me.

30 min Credit ranking the place it’s due, the LAFC fans at the encourage of the procedure strive to present this slightly of ambiance. I continuously revel in seeing soccer culture in diversified countries, and it’s precise to search the rainbow flag waving, likewise the LAFC sombreros.

29 min Cucurella, inverting, finds Palmer who moves out to Neto – he’s been tranquil to this level – and although his inaccurate is depressed, he’s quickly encourage in possession, beating Bouanga and crossing the encourage post, the place Madueke heads broad.

26 min Simon Carson explains the floor make: “It’s for the reason that NFL squads are so super (50+ avid gamers of most incessantly gigantic dimension) that the seating has to open greater up, otherwise you wouldn’t be in a position to search anything. When I went to search a game at Twickenham a pair of years previously, they blocked out the foremost few rows of the lower tier for the same motive.”

That is radiant, thanks – although I’m sure I’ve viewed the same ingredient in Europe, and no longer at the dwelling of the Barcelona Dragons.

25 min A unhappy effort from Bouanga who appears to be like to curl in at the encourage of, but places ability too a lot on the ball.

23 min LA spoil, but a depressed pass from Ordaz intention the assault breaks down, then James loses out to Delgado and Caicedo fouls Bouanga. That was a little bit harsh – he stretched a leg spherical him and obtained the ball, but right here comes a free-kick 25 yards out, left of centre…

22 min The corner finally ends up with James, on the brink, whose low shot is blocked.

21 min Over again Chelsea gain Palmer, all but again he steps inside, opening the angle for the curler, and this time he has a anxious, but a deflection sends the ball over the bar.

20 min What is it with these grounds that obtain lower tiers starting two metres or more above pitch-stage? The level of going to the match is to be fascinated about it, and this deliberately making issues less intense. I don’t get it.