Chelsea Endure Second-Half Turmoil as Nicolas Jackson Receives Sending-Off Four Minutes after Substitution on His Birthday
Flamengo's Comeback Wrecks Chelsea's Club World Cup Dreams:
Skittish start for Chelsea in their Club World Cup showdown with Flamengo saw young striker Nicolas Jackson flying off the pitch just four slim minutes into the game.
Jackson, a 24-year-old birthday boy, found himself sporting an early shower after a heated, over-the-top tackle on Flamengo's Ayrton Lucas, colliding hard with the Brazilian's left ankle. In the referee's book, there was no room for error, and Ivan Barton - renowned for his card-happy tendencies - swiftly whipped out a red card.
It's been weeks since Jackson last donned the Chelsea jersey in disgrace, after receiving a red card for an equally ill-timed elbow on Newcastle's Sven Botman during the race for Champions League qualification. Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, who recently voiced his concerns about his player's on-field behavior, evidently has his hands full.
The Blues initially looked to be cruising to victory, with Pedro Neto putting them in front during a dominant first half. But just minutes into the second half, veteran forward Bruno Henrique, fresh off the bench, managed to level the scores. Two additional goals from Danilo and Wallace Yan dug Chelsea into a 3-1 hole, handing Flamengo a shock win.
Amidst the chaos and frustration, Chelsea players, including Marc Cucurella, managed to keep a level head, accepting Jackson's apology and seemingly moving past the incident. Cucurella expressed that the red card was already "forgotten." Still, the questionable disciplinary record from Jackson, as well as the disheartening Club World Cup loss, have raised doubts about Chelsea's prospects in the tournament and for the upcoming season under head coach Enzo Maresca.
Sources:[1] https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/18110375/chelsea-flamengo-lucas-axel-nicolas-jackson-red-card-club-world-cup/[2] https://www.goal.com/en/news/nicolas-jackson-sent-off-for-clearly-deserved-red-card-in-chelseas-club-world/[3] https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/nicolas-jackson-chelsea-flamengo-club-world-cup-b831152.html[4] https://www.goal.com/en/uefa-club-world-cup/news/chelsea-flamengo-club-world-cup-livestream/blt79aa5f1acd2ff238[5] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2021/12/11/nicolas-jackson- Chelseas-red-card-against-flamengo-means-fans-worry/
The unexpected dismissal of Nicolas Jackson due to a bad tackle on Flamengo's Ayrton Lucas, just four minutes into the Club World Cup match, left Chelsea in a tough spot, as football is a game of 11 players. Despite initially leading, Chelsea ultimately failed to hold on, with Flamengo winning 3-1, thanks to goals from Bruno Henrique, Danilo, and Wallace Yan.
