European champions Chelsea have lifted the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time after an extra-time 2-1 win against Brazilian club Palmeiras.
Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku scored the first goal of the final. Photo: AFP
A 117th-minute penalty by Kai Havertz - who scored their 2021 Champions League winner - means the Blues have now won every trophy possible under owner Roman Abramovich.
Romelu Lukaku opened the scoring with a header in the second half before Raphael Veiga levelled from the spot.
Palmeiras defender Luan was sent off in added time in Abu Dhabi.
Much like in their semi-final victory against Al-Hilal, Chelsea dominated possession but struggled to create chances for much of the game.
Their cutting edge did not improve when Mason Mount was forced off through injury, as he was in their recent FA Cup tie with Plymouth, as Romelu Lukaku continued to cut an isolated figure up front.
Palmeiras, meanwhile, looked to make the most of their threat on the counter-attack, with the pace of Rony and Dudu stretching the Blues defence but clear-cut chances were hard to come by.
Nine minutes after the break, Lukaku made the breakthrough when Callum Hudson-Odoi sent in a pinpoint cross for the first time and the striker powered a header past Weverton.
Christian Pulisic, Mount's replacement, went close with a shot from distance after a smart lay-off from Lukaku as the English side looked to cement their control.
But just past the hour, Palmeiras restored parity. Thiago Silva was adjudged to have handled in the area after a check on the pitch-side monitor and Veiga converted emphatically from 12 yards to send the game into extra time.
With a penalty shoot-out looming, Chelsea secured the trophy with a penalty of their own. Luan's handball was also checked on the monitor before Germany playmaker Havertz fired home.
Luan was then dismissed for a foul on the match winner in the final minute, after the referee was told to consult with his monitor for a third time.
Due to the New Zealand Government's revision to border controls in light of the Covid-19 variant Omicron, Auckland City FC were unable to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Auckland City had been nominated as Oceania's representative, but Tahiti's AS Pirae were named instead.
AS Pirae lost in the first round to Al Jazira last week.
-BBC/RNZ
