Liam Delap has opened his Chelsea account in style – and he’s hoping it’s just the beginning.
The 22-year-old forward, a 30 million pound signing, found the net for the first time in Chelsea blue as they cruised past Esperance Tunis 3-0 in Philadelphia, booking their spot in the Club World Cup Round of 16.
Delap’s goal capped off a dominant performance that saw Chelsea finish second in Group D, setting up a clash with Benfica-surprise toppers of Group C, ahead of European giants Bayern Munich-in Charlotte this Saturday.
The young striker’s moment came just before the break. With Chelsea already one up thanks to Tosin Adarabioyo’s well-placed header from an Enzo Fernandez free-kick, Delap added the second in stylish fashion. He latched onto a through ball from Fernandez, danced past two defenders, and calmly slotted it home – though Esperance keeper Bechir Ben Said didn’t put up much resistance.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Delap said afterward on chelseafc.com. “Hopefully it’s the first of many. I spoke with (Enzo Maresca) before the game and he just told me, ‘When Enzo [Fernandez] gets the ball, run.’ He found me perfectly.”
Delap, who turned down interest from Manchester United to join Chelsea, added: “I love football, and playing for a club like this is special. We knew we had to win to go through, and we’re all buzzing to be in the next round.”
Substitute Tyrique George sealed the win in stoppage time, capitalizing on another lackluster effort from the Tunisian keeper. But the groundwork had already been laid by Adarabioyo’s opener – a pinpoint header that sapped the fight from Esperance, who would have leapfrogged Chelsea in the standings with a win.
Head coach Enzo Maresca, who rotated heavily following their defeat to Flamengo, was pleased with the response.
“We needed to bounce back, and we did,” he said. “It was all about patience. Once we got the first goal, the game opened up. We’re especially happy for the guys who haven’t played much recently – they stepped up.”
From a field of 32, Chelsea are now among the final 16. Maresca is already looking ahead: “We’ll enjoy this, but now it’s about getting ready for Benfica. Hopefully, we keep progressing-quarter-finals next.”
