The final round of Group D at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup brings an interesting encounter between ES Tunis and Chelsea at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. With both sides level on points after two matches, this game will decide who advances to the knockout stage alongside Flamengo, who have already secured their place.
ES Tunis arrive at this game in good form, having just secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over LAFC. Youcef Belaïli’s 70th-minute goal proved the difference between the two sides, and goalkeeper Ben Said’s late penalty save preserved the win, keeping the Tunisian champions’ hopes alive. This result followed a 2-0 defeat to Flamengo, but ES Tunis have shown resilience and tactical discipline throughout the group stage.
Domestically, ES Tunis have been the benchmark in Tunisian football this season, topping Ligue 1 with 19 wins, nine draws, and only two defeats. Their defensive record is among the best in the league, conceding just 0.73 goals per match, while their attack averages nearly two goals per game. The squad’s home and away form has been consistently strong, and their ability to manage tight matches has translated well to the Club World Cup stage.
A club with a rich continental pedigree, ES Tunis blend experience with young talent. Their tactical approach is pragmatic, often prioritising defensive solidity and looking to capitalise on set pieces and counter-attacks. With the stakes high, expect a disciplined performance focused on limiting Chelsea’s attacking options and exploiting any lapses.
Chelsea’s campaign has been marked by inconsistency, highlighted by a 3-1 defeat to Flamengo in their last outing. That result exposed defensive vulnerabilities and left the Premier League side needing at least a draw to progress, thanks to their superior goal difference over ES Tunis.
Chelsea opened the group with a comfortable win over LAFC, but the loss to Flamengo has raised questions about their ability to manage high-pressure matches, which was somewhat of a feature in their Premier League games this season against the league's better sides.
Under Enzo Maresca, Chelsea have shown flashes of their potential, however, the side has sometimes struggled to convert possession into clear-cut chances, and defensive lapses have been costly. The squad’s depth remains decent, with options to rotate in midfield and defence, but cohesion and consistency still seems to elude them.
Chelsea’s tactical blueprint is built around controlled possession, but they may need to show greater dynamism against an ES Tunis side likely to sit deep and frustrate. With knockout qualification on the line, the Blues’ must be clinical in front of goal.
ES Tunis 1-2 Chelsea
