Club World Cup – Day 7: Brazilian dominance continues as Flamengo stun Chelsea

Matchday 7 of the Club World Cup confirmed the excellent form of Brazilian clubs: the European giants are officially on notice. After Botafogo’s upset win over PSG, Flamengo added to the green-and-yellow momentum with a commanding 3-1 comeback victory over Chelsea, showcasing strength, flair, and composure. Bayern edged past Boca Juniors with a late winner from Olise, while Benfica cruised past Auckland in a goal-fest. Esperance shocked LAFC and now have an edge over Boca in the race for the knockout stage.

Results – Matchday 7

Benfica-Auckland 6-0: the floodgates opened after the storm

Benfica bagged goals and confidence with a commanding 6-0 win over Auckland. Surprisingly, the New Zealanders held firm for over 45 minutes, until Di Maria converted a penalty during first-half stoppage time. The match was then suspended for over two hours due to severe weather — an unfortunate trend in this tournament.

When play resumed, the Portuguese side overwhelmed their opponents. Pavlidis made it 2-0, followed by goals from Renato Sanches and a quick-fire brace from Leandro Barreiro. Di Maria sealed the win with another penalty in stoppage time. Benfica now have four points, while Auckland remain on zero with a staggering 16 goals conceded in two matches.

Flamengo-Chelsea 3-1: Brazilian flair and a comeback for the ages

Chelsea briefly believed after Pedro Neto gave them a 13th-minute lead, but their hopes quickly collapsed under Flamengo’s second-half onslaught — and an ill-timed red card. Henrique equalized in the 62nd minute with a smart finish assisted by Plata, and just three minutes later, Danilo completed the turnaround.

As if that wasn’t enough, substitute Jackson was sent off moments after entering for a reckless tackle on Lucas, paving the way for Wallace Yan to score Flamengo’s third. Filipe Luis’ side impressed with their pace, confidence, and clarity — they are through to the Round of 16. Chelsea now face a must-win showdown with Esperance.

Social media controversy: After the match, Flamengo’s English-language X account provoked a storm among Chelsea fans by posting “Easy win against London Blue” — using a name and logo reminiscent of unlicensed football video games. The post’s sarcastic tone and branding triggered a wave of angry reactions from Blues supporters.

Bayern-Boca Juniors 2-1: Kane and Olise send Kompany through

Bayern Munich stay perfect and become the first European side to beat a South American club in this tournament edition. After a disallowed goal for Olise, Kane broke the deadlock with a clinical left-footed finish in the 18th minute. Boca responded bravely, equalizing through a brilliant solo effort from Merentiel.

But Kane again proved decisive late on, laying off the assist for Olise’s match-winner. Bayern are through to the next round, while Boca sit on one point and face a mountain to climb: they’ll need to thrash Auckland and hope Benfica suffer a heavy defeat to have any chance of qualifying.

LAFC-Esperance 0-1: Bouanga misses the miracle penalty

LAFC’s tournament is over after a second straight defeat. Esperance held strong in the first half — where two LAFC goals were disallowed — and struck in the 71st minute through Belaili. Deep into stoppage time, LAFC had a lifeline when a penalty was awarded in the 101st minute, but Bouanga’s spot kick was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Said.

A bitter end for the Californian club, undone by missed chances and shaky defending. Esperance now have three points and will face Chelsea in a decisive clash for second place in Group D.

Updated Standings

Group C

Group D