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UEFA Champions League holders Chelsea went up against AFC Champions League winners Al-Hilal in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup on Wednesday night.
Al-Hilal produced a brilliant performance in Abu Dhabi, keeping the Blues under pressure right until the very end. Thomas Tuchel’s men narrowly escaped with a 1-0 win, but are ought to be disappointed with their unconvincing showing. The Premier League outfit will face South American champions Palmeiras in the final on Saturday.
The European heavyweights dominated proceedings in the first half, rarely allowing Al-Hilal to get a feel of the ball. Hakim Ziyech came close to hitting the back of the net but saw his effort go narrowly wide. Just past the half-hour mark, Chelsea ace Romelu Lukaku scored the only goal of the match, registering his first strike in over a month.
Many expected Chelsea to add to their tally and kill the game for good. Al-Hilal, however, had no intention of letting the European champions have a walk in the park. They threw the kitchen sink at the Londoners in the second half and drew some excellent saves out of Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Had it not been for the Spaniard and Tuchel’s rigid backline, we could have easily had a massive upset on our hands.
On that note, here are five Chelsea stars who stood out in their narrow win over the Saudi Arabian outfit:
#5 Kai Havertz
Thomas Tuchel has not allowed Kai Havertz to play as much as he would have liked this season. That lack of match-sharpness came to the fore against Al-Hilal on Wednesday, especially in the first half.
Thankfully, the German bounced back swiftly in the second half and produced some good football.
He played an integral part in the build-up to Romelu Lukaku’s first-half goal and hit the woodwork early in the second half.
Havertz was a lively source of creativity on Wednesday and should be one of the first names on the teamsheet for Saturday’s final.
#4 Andreas Christensen
Operating as a right centre-back in the Blues’ familiar three-man backline, Andreas Christensen produced an important and surefooted performance against Al-Hilal on Wednesday.
His distribution was neat, he won his tussles effortlessly, and was a handful going forward.
Against Al-Hilal, the Danish international won 12 duels, attempted three tackles, had a couple of interceptions and provided a sumptuous key pass.
He was even brought down in the Al-Hilal box once, but the referee, unfortunately, did not rule in his favor. A brilliant display by the Denmark international.
#3 Romelu Lukaku
Chelsea No. 9 Romelu Lukaku has not had the best of seasons. Not only has been inconsistent in front of goal, but he has also been involved in off-field controversies.
The Belgian's explosive Sky Italia interview has driven a wedge between him and the Stamford Bridge faithful, one that’s difficult to dislodge.
To get the supporters back in his corner, he must prove his worth and we believe his display against Al-Hilal was a good first step in that direction.
No, Lukaku was not the best player on the pitch for the west London outfit, but it was his goal that won the game for them. Before ultimately finding the back of the net in the 32nd minute from close range, he squandered quite a few half-chances.
After scoring his second goal in eight games, he transformed into a different beast altogether. He was a lot more involved in the build-up and pressed whole-heartedly.
His second-half display was nothing to write home about, but overall, it was a pretty decent performance from the former Inter Milan sharpshooter.
#2 Hakim Ziyech
Hakim Ziyech operated on the right side of the pitch against Al-Hilal, wreaking havoc with his sultry passing and clever movement.
The Moroccan international was involved in every intelligent piece of play and effortlessly brought his teammates into the fray.
His combinational play with Lukaku was eye-catching, and we believe we’ll see more of it in the coming weeks.
Full of confidence, Ziyech took on the hosts’ defense head-on, leaving them in the dust with his close control and effortless trickery. He attempted (7) and completed (5) the most number of dribbles on Wednesday, which goes on to show how comfortable he’s become under Tuchel.
The winger also completed three key passes and won 10 ground duels. A brilliant display by the most in-form Chelsea player right now.
#1 Kepa Arrizabalaga
Former Athletic Bilbao keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has been playing second fiddle to Edouard Mendy for a while now. However, that’s largely due to the Senegalese stopper’s brilliance, not Kepa’s inability to deliver in big matches.
With Mendy rested following his triumphant return from AFCON 2022, the Spaniard got the chance to impress in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup. Fortunately for the west London outfit, he brought his ‘A Game.’
The 27-year-old keeper was not the busiest in the first half, but he stepped up when he was called into action in the second 45.
Just past the hour mark, Kepa made two brilliant saves that practically secured the first for his side. In the 63rd minute, he kept Moussa Marega from wheeling away in celebration after he was played through on goal by Matheus Pereira.
Five minutes later, he made a diving save to deny Odion Ighalo’s curling effort. If the shot-stopper continues to make such match-winning saves, Tuchel will soon have a pleasant selection dilemma on his hands.
