Chelsea v LAFC: Club World Cup - live

1m ago 15.38 EDT GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 LAFC (Neto 34) 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. Share

4m ago 15.35 EDT 31 min “I saw NUFC play Chelsea in the Mercedes Benz Stadium in 2023,” advises Reuven Fletcher. “It’s a really impressive place, if that’s your sort of thing, the future of top flight ‘match-day experience’ as it becomes increasingly Americanised and commodified. Full of fast food chain restaurants and Americans in the shirts of sides not participating int he game (Arsenal, Man City etc) as they wanted in on the Premier League experience. Some very friendly Atalanta Fans who had come along to support Migeul Almiron, who was at NUFC then, asked if they should support Newcastle. I said just stick with your team, it’s enough.

Give me Filbert Street, Roker Park, The Baseball Ground and the threat of a hiding at the Old Den any day over Chick-fill-A etc personally.” I agree – intensity and involvement are far more important than sight-lines and legroom, at least for me. Share

7m ago 15.33 EDT 30 min Credit where it’s due, the LAFC fans behind the goal are trying to give this a bit of atmosphere. I always enjoy seeing football culture in different countries, and it’s good to see the rainbow flag waving, likewise the LAFC sombreros. Share

8m ago 15.31 EDT 29 min Cucurella, inverting, finds Palmer who moves out to Neto – he’s been quiet so far – and though his cross is poor, he’s soon back in possession, beating Bouanga and crossing the back post, where Madueke heads wide. Share

10m ago 15.29 EDT 26 min Simon Carson explains the ground design: “It’s because the NFL squads are so large (50+ players of generally enormous size) that the seating has to start higher up, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to see anything. When I went to see a game at Twickenham a few years ago, they blocked out the first few rows of the lower tier for the same reason.” That makes sense, thanks – though I’m sure I’ve seen the same thing in Europe, and not at the home of the Barcelona Dragons. Share

12m ago 15.27 EDT 25 min A miserable effort from Bouanga who looks to curl in behind, but puts way too much on the ball. Share

13m ago 15.27 EDT 23 min LA break, but a poor pass from Ordaz means the attack breaks down, then James loses out to Delgado and Caicedo fouls Bouanga. That was a little harsh – he stretched a leg around him and won the ball, but here comes a free-kick 25 yards out, left of centre… Share

15m ago 15.24 EDT 22 min The corner ends up with James, on the edge, whose low shot is blocked. Share

16m ago 15.24 EDT 21 min Again Chelsea find Palmer, again he steps inside, opening the angle for the curler, and this time he has a shy, but a deflection sends the ball over the bar. Share

17m ago 15.23 EDT 20 min What is it with these grounds that have lower tiers starting two metres or more above pitch-level? The point of going to the match is to be involved in it, and this deliberately making things less intense. I don’t get it. Share

18m ago 15.21 EDT 18 min Lovely from Jackson, who turns beautifully again then disguises a smart pass that releases Madueke, just outside him, and he zooms on to it and, now one on one, directs a low finish into the keeper’s legs, the Palmer’s follow-up is blocked at source. That’s the best chance so far. Share

20m ago 15.20 EDT 17 min “Has anyone considered the option this whole thing is a ‘Producers’ type gambit by Infantino et al?” wonders Adam Fraser. “It’s so bad I’m starting to think it must be by design … we could be watching Fifa’s shot at Springtime for Hitler.” Share

22m ago 15.18 EDT 15 min Madueke finds space again, nips around the outside of Hollingshead, and slots a cross behind both Jackson and Palmer – though i wonder if, with the former attacking the near post, the latter might’ve dropped the anchors to let the defenders go by and pick up the likely cut-back. Share

23m ago 15.17 EDT 14 min “Given the power you must wield from Guardian towers compared to a lowly common man such as myself, can you please get in touch with Dazn and get to the bottom of their erratic commentary volume?” beseeches Joe Timothy. “It’s really hindering what is a glorious spectacle of the beautiful game played with the values we all know and love.” Share

24m ago 15.16 EDT 13 min The ref stops the game to adjust his equipment, then we go again. Chelsea need their ball-players to attack opposition markers to create space and they work it out to Palmer, who crosses hard, at an inconvenient height, and Madueke can’t control. Share

25m ago 15.14 EDT 11 min A quick, low diag out to Madueke, who takes his eye of the ball, it runs away, and the opportunity to make something happen vanishes. Share

26m ago 15.13 EDT 10 min The pattern appears set, Chelsea on the ball and looking to create, LA massed in front of them. Share

27m ago 15.12 EDT 7 min “I’m not sure it is a choice of two in central midfield for Chelsea,” emails Carl Winder. “I feel like Palmer does his best work coming in from the right where it is less congested, and his drop in form seemed to coincide with him being moved more centrally. If he is moved back to the right you could have Lavia, Caicedo and Fernandez in the middle. I think this would actually give Chelsea more control, which Maresca seems to be looking for.” Yes, that might work – especially in big games. It doesn’t look creative enough to me, though, and I’m not sure how much control it’d give as Caicedo and Lavia aren’t really passers who pick angles and circulate possession. But I think I see the game very differently to Maresca – after Chelsea’s meek subsidence at Arsenal, where they conceded early and barely tried to equalise, I couldn’t believe his post-match interview in which he seemed legit happy with what he’d seen. I took it up with my uncle, who has a season ticket at Stamford Bridge, and he confirmed it’s all about keeping the ball, rather than creating, which is why Palmer had a much less effective season – he’s maverick and a risk-taker. Share

31m ago 15.09 EDT 5 min There it is: crossfield ball to Bouanga, and there’s James to unload him. Then Chelsea counter with Madueke, who feeds Jackson and, while falling, he improvises a cunning turn but can only scoop his finish into the arms of the Welshman, Lloris. Share

33m ago 15.07 EDT 4 min Clever pass from Palmer, just outside the box, dead centre. Everyone assumed he’s looking to curl one, but instead he slides into Madueke’s path, left side of the box, but his mate wants too much time and is slow getting the ball out of his feet. Share

34m ago 15.06 EDT 2 min LA have started brightly, looking to spread play, but then the move breaks down, Palmer looks to set Jackson away, and the defender does just enough to stop him, though a little more gas and he’s gone. Share

35m ago 15.04 EDT 2 min “Perhaps the reason for the one-at-a-time players’ appearance on to the pitch is so that they can be added to the official attendance?” wonders the returning Justin Kavanagh. “Every little helps.” I was thinking perhaps they’re letting the crowd in one at a time too. Share

37m ago 15.03 EDT 1 min …and off we go, following a countdown that really sets the pulse racing. Share

45m ago 14.55 EDT The players are coming out one at a time. It really adds to the sense of occasion. Share

46m ago 14.54 EDT The lights are down, the crowd number at least in the tens, and the game is nearly upon us. Share

50m ago 14.50 EDT I’m glad the experiment of playing Pedro Neto through the middle has finished. I’m sure it was partly a circumstantial thing, but he’s not a player I want to see on the half-turn, or with back to goal. He needs space and to be facing the opposition goal. Share

55m ago 14.45 EDT Maresca says he’ll need to rotate, so though Jackson is playing today, he might not start the next game. Though he didn’t think Chelsea could win the league, he does think they can win this competition, which makes sense as it’s a cup, but I’d be pretty surprised. I don’t see a particularly tight defence, nor that many goals, against the better sides. Share

1h ago 14.38 EDT Callum Wilson is in the DAZN studio – good work, his agent – and has already treated us to some exhibiton reflexive pronoun abuse. First, on Bouanga, we were told that “This is a tremendous opportunity for himself,” and just now, taking about James’ injuries, “Myself knows what that feels like.” I trust yourselves are as excited as myself to see what’s next. Share

1h ago 14.35 EDT Now Lavia is fit, assuming he stays so, Enzo Maresca will have a decision to make in every game, because he can only pick two of him, Fernandez and Caicedo. I fear the Argentinian may have a problem, his lack of athleticism perhaps set to be the deciding factor. Share

1h ago 14.30 EDT Email! “This walking-paced, season-leggy tournament feels like Fifa’s version of a methadone clinic offered to ensure that revenues don’t dip during summer’s withdrawal season,” reckons Justin Kavanagh. “It’s on TV here in the USA, but to be honest, no slo-mo circus is going to distract from the pall of totalitarianism that is descending over this country. No amount of laughing gas is going to trump the sting of tear gas. Infantino shouldn’t be whoring out his circus here. Same goes for his World Cup next year.” Bread and circuses, without the bread. Share

1h ago 14.28 EDT As for LA, I’m looking forward to seeing Denis Bouanga, their undoubted star man. He may, though, find it difficult against Reece James, a player with all the potential to become the best right-back in the world – if injury leaves him in peace. There’ve been lost of debates in England about whether the national side should deploy Trent Alexander-Arnold or Kyle Walker in that position, but the correct answer is, in fact, neither. Share

1h ago 14.26 EDT Talking of Chelsea – pick that segue out – they’re more or less as expected. But Roméo Lavia plays, not Enzo Fernandez, and it’s Nicolas Jackson not Liam Delap. Share

1h ago 14.24 EDT Subs benches longer than starting XIs. I can’t help but think the best way to level the footballing playing field would be fewer, not more, because then clubs wouldn’t be able to stockpile players. Share

1h ago 14.21 EDT I take some of it back: LAFC have not supplied shirt numbers. Share

1h ago 14.17 EDT I’m going to write these teams down, then we’ll think about what we might see. Share

1h ago 14.13 EDT First things first: hold tight LAFC for presenting their team on social media in formation form. Yes I have seen Beyoncé twice, now that you ask. I can’t say I was totally ready to see Europa League signage at Spurs, but needs must. Share

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