Liam Delap scores his 1st Chelsea goal in 3-0 win over Esperance in Club World Cup

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Liam Delap scored his first goal for Chelsea and Enzo Fernández has two assists in a 3-0 win over Esperance on Tuesday night that helped clinch a round-of-16 berth in the Club World Cup.

Tosin Adarabioyo scored on a header from 7 yards from Enzo Fernández’s free kick in the third minute off first-half stoppage time. Delap scored two minutes later, taking Fernández’s pass with his back to the goal, dribbling around Yassine Meriah and slotting it past goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said.

Tyrique George scored from the top of the circle seven minutes into second-half stoppage time on a shot that went in off the hands of Ben Said.

A crowd of 32,967 attended the match at Lincoln Financial Field on a 90-degree night during a heat wave. There were hydration breaks in both halves.

Key moment

Chelsea’s Liam Delap, centre, scores his team’s second goal during the Club World Cup Group D soccer match between Esperance Tunisie and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Delap’s goal was his first since the 22-year-old joined Chelsea from Ipswich just before the tournament.

Takeaways

Chelsea finished with six points, one behind Group D leader Flamengo, and will play Benfica on Saturday at Charlotte, North Carolina, in the round of 16. Esperance finished third in Group D and was eliminated.

What they said

“Coming to this club of this size and getting my first goal means everything to me. Every goal is special, and this one is definitely up there.” — Chelsea forward Liam Delap.

Chelsea’s Tosin Adarabioyo, left, is congratulated by teammate Liam Delap after scoring his team’s first goal during the Club World Cup Group D soccer match between Esperance Tunisie and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

“We see that the public is always with us. Esperance fans are always present when we travel. There’s great passion around the club.” — Esperance midfielder Mohamed Wael Derbali

Esperance de Tunis players take a drink during a break in the Club World Cup Group D soccer match between Esperance Tunisie and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Esperance de Tunis fans hold up a pro-Palestinian banner during the Club World Cup Group D soccer match between Esperance Tunisie and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.

Leave a Reply

The Associated Press

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.