Chelsea opened their Club World Cup campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC in Group D yesterday, thanks to goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez.
The match, played at the 71,000 capacity Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, drew just over 22,000 fans, leaving nearly 50,000 empty seats as the weekday afternoon kick-off appeared to dampen local attendance despite falling ticket prices.
Neto scored in the first half after a fine assist from Nicolas Jackson, who impressed in a determined performance to keep his starting spot.
New signing Liam Delap made his Chelsea debut as a second-half substitute and played a key role in setting up Fernandez’s late goal, sealing the victory.
LAFC, missing home advantage and support, struggled despite efforts from Hugo Lloris and a second-half appearance by Olivier Giroud.
Chelsea now aim to build on their UEFA Conference League success and return to European elite status.