London, June 25 (IANS) Liam Delap says he and his Chelsea teammates ‘got the job done’ by securing their place in the Club World Cup knockout stage, and the striker hopes his goal against ES Tunis will be the first of many in blue.
After Tosin Adarabioyo had opened the scoring with a well-placed header in first-half stoppage time, Delap opened his account with a turn and ball role, which gave him space to slot home. Tyrique George then wrapped up the win in the final moments at the Lincoln Financial Field.
Delap knew how crucial the game was to the Blues, with victory securing safe passage to the Round of 16, where Chelsea will face Benfica.
“We knew we had to win tonight to get through, and we’re pleased to get the job done. It’s a really happy feeling [to score] and hopefully, it’s the first of many. I love playing football, and to play for such a good team is a great feeling,” Delap was quoted as saying by Chelsea’s website.
The 22-year-old was also quick to thank Enzo Fernandez for his assist in the build-up to his maiden Chelsea goal. Liam continued, “I spoke to Enzo and he told me that when he gets the ball, I should run, and it was a great pass, and luckily it went in.”
The Blues have three days to recover and then prepare for the clash with Benfica, which will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday. And Delap is ready to test himself against the Portuguese giants.
He added, “We’ve just got to prepare over the next few days. Everyone will come out fighting, and hopefully we’ll progress.’
Chelsea began their FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC. However, they were handed a thumping 1-3 defeat against Brazilian side Flamengo, in a game where Nicolas Jackson was handed a straight red for his reckless challenge. They will now face Portuguese side Benfica in the Round of 16, who sealed the top spot in Group C with a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich.
–IANS
aaa/bsk/
