Maresca urges Chelsea to bounce back to reach Club World Cup last 16

2025-06-22 02:00

Maresca urges Chelsea to bounce back to reach Club World Cup last 16


Chelsea took the lead after Pedro Neto scored in the second round of the 2025 Club World Cup Group D, but suffered a goal loss and Jackson was shown a red card in the second half, and finally lost 1-3 to Flamengo. Maresca said that in order to achieve the goal of advancing to the next round, his team must rebound in the next round of the group stage.


Flamengo made a mistake when clearing the ball in the 13th minute. Pedro Neto won the ball and shot into the goal facing Flamengo goalkeeper Agustin Rossi, helping Chelsea take the lead 1-0.


In the 62nd minute of the second half, Gerson took a corner kick, Gonzalo Plata headed the ball, and Bruno Henrique pushed the ball into the empty goal, helping Flamengo to tie the score at 1-1. In the 65th minute, Flamengo got another corner kick opportunity, Bruno Henrique headed the ball to the front of the goal, and Danilo volleyed and hit the goal, helping Flamengo to overtake 2-1.


In the 68th minute, Jackson stepped on the opponent's foot while fighting for the ball, and was sent off by the referee. Chelsea could only continue to play with 10 players. In the 83rd minute, Gonzalo Plata tried to shoot in the penalty area, and Wallace pushed the ball into the goal facing Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, helping Flamengo expand its lead to 3-1.


In the end, Chelsea lost to Flamengo 1-3 at Lincoln Financial Field. After losing 3 points, Chelsea is currently ranked second in the Group D standings with 3 points.


Chelsea coach Maresca talked about the process of conceding the goal, saying, "Those six minutes completely changed the rhythm of the game. I think before they equalized the score, we actually started the second half in a very good way, but lost two goals in two minutes, plus a red card, which completely changed the direction of the game."


Caicedo: We have to stay focused


“We tried something completely new in the last two days, using a different formation for this game, in order to prepare for next season and give the team more options. The plan worked well in the first hour of the game, but then we conceded the first and second goals, followed by a red card. In the end we were one man short, but the opponent deserved the win.”


Chelsea will face Tunisia in the third round of the group stage. Maresca added, "It is very important to respond in the next game. We must win the game to ensure promotion."


In addition, Chelsea midfielder Caicedo said, "We must stay focused throughout the game. As long as there is a second of distraction, it may cost us. We need to respond and now our attention is focused on the next game. It will be a difficult game, but we will be ready."


"The opponent played better in the second half and was outstanding in pressing. We also found space, but the game became more difficult. The team's overall performance was actually very good, but we must stay focused for 95 minutes. Otherwise, just one second can lose the game, which is exactly what we experienced in this game."


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