Chelsea win Club World Cup for first time

Two penalties and a red card were awarded as Chelsea overcame Palmeiras 2-1 after extra-time in their FIFA Club World Cup final at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Saturday evening.

Both sides scored in the second half before Chelsea settled the encounter in extra time through Kai Havertz’s hotly contested penalty that led to furious remonstrations and confrontations from the Palmeiras bench.

Romelu Lukaku’s header from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross had given Chelsea the lead on 54 minutes.

Palmeiras, the Copa Libertadores winners, then equalized through Raphael Veiga’s penalty awarded following a video assistant referee (VAR) review for a handball by Thiago Silva.

The Brazilians held on for extra-time where Chelsea’s superiority came to the fore to snatch the late winner through Havertz.

Chelsea are winning the Club World Cup for the first time — after a previous defeat in 2012 to Corinthians, another Brazilian side.

Chelsea also become the third English Premier League (EPL) side to win the annual tournament, joining Manchester United and Liverpool.

The latest triumph by Tomas Tuchel’s side adds to earlier titles in the UEFA Champions League and Super Cup.

The Club World Cup is the only trophy to have eluded Chelsea since Roman Abramovich acquired the club on July 1, 2003.

Since his takeover 19 years ago, Chelsea have won 17 major trophies, including the two Champions League and UEFA Europa League titles, five Premier League crowns and five FA Cups, among others.

In the same vein, Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea captain, who joined the Blues from Marseille in 2012, has lifted eight trophies — Premier League x2, Champions League, Europa League x2, Super Cup, FA Cup and League Cup.