Kai Havertz, the man whose Champions League final goal qualified Chelsea for this FIFA Club World Cup tournament, scored a penalty with three minutes of extra-time remaining to ensure the Blues can call ourselves the champions of the world and have completed our full trophy collection.The decisive spot-kick was awarded for handball, the second such decision during this slow burner of a game in Abu Dhabi.We had taken the lead through Romelu Lukaku but a Thiago Silva handball led to our Brazilian opponents equalising. We then long looked destined for a penalty shoot-out and who would have been in goal for that given Edou Mendy began this game but Kepa had already been successful in three shoot-outs for his club this season? In the end, a Palmeiras palm and Kai’s coolness meant that was not necessary.

An attritional first half of contrasting tactics yielded no goals. Palmeiras were defensive and good at being so, and looked to play on the break in a way that hassled and forced loose touches from our defenders.They wasted the best chance before the break from just such a counter-attack while as Chelsea passed around in front of the massed Brazilian ranks, Thiago Silva came as close to anyone to scoring for Chelsea in the first half, with a shot from considerable distance.Lukaku headed his side into the lead during a more open start to the second half but then came the penalty equaliser for the Sao Paulo side and a game that looked to be opening up tightened again.The score remained 1-1 into extra-time but Palmeiras’ threat on the counter had waned as our attacking improved, and in the end the more adventurous side got our just desserts.

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The selection

As anticipated and as is traditional in these European versus South American club clashes, our opponents were enjoying the majority of the support inside the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, whose capacity is similar to Stamford Bridge but had close to 33,000 inside on this occasion.

Given that imbalance in noise, a start to quieten the green-and-white-shirted Brazilian fans would have been most welcome but it did not come, as the game settled down into a pattern that would endure throughout the first half.

Tight first period

There was a messy moment for Palmeiras soon after kick-off, with a loose ball in their six-yard box and no one close by certain where it was, but the opening stages of the game were very much how Thomas Tuchel had predicted in his interview shortly before kick-off. Our opponents were comfortable with allowing us plenty of the ball inside their half, defending solidly, and then playing quick, long balls to their attack when the chance arose.Palmeiras, unchanged from their semi-final win over Egyptians Al Ahly, managed a couple of shots early on, one deflected behind and the other never likely to concern Mendy. When Chelsea had our own opportunity to counter-attack, a Hudson-Odoi shot was blocked.

Mount struck a free-kick wide of the near post quarter of an hour in after a foul on Lukaku. Mendy comfortably caught a header at the other end when Palmeiras' initially cleared free-kick was returned.Midway through the first half, there was danger when a long ball was converted into a shooting chance by mobile Palmeiras forward Dudu. Fortunately it whistled over the Chelsea bar to whoops from the Brazilian support.Havertz had a couple of shots soon after, neither going close, before Dudu wasted the best opening of the first half when angling his shot well wide after his side broke at pace.

Mason injured

Chelsea were dealt a blow after half an hour when Mount, a week after he had been forced off against Plymouth, could not continue this match. Christian Pulisic came on.

Moments later, the American looked well set to pick out Havertz in front of goal with a pull-back, but Kante, unaware of the intended target, stretched for the ball and the chance was gone.Frustrated by the lack of passing opportunities ahead of him, in added time at the end of the first half Thiago Silva took on a shot from 35 yards out. It swerved and might have been going wide, but his international team-mate Weverton made a save. From the corner, Thiago Silva headed over, as did Toni Rudiger at the far post from another. The whistle blew on an intriguing but from a Chelsea point of view, frustrating opening 45.

The breakthrough and the peg-back

Rudiger attempted a Thiago-type thump at goal early in the second half. It was too high but not by a great deal and there was a greater fluidity to our play as well as more slackness from our opponents right from the restart.That shifting balance was rewarded with the Chelsea goal on 55 minutes. Kovacic played his part, with a ball out to Hudson-Odoi. What followed was a good old-fashioned centre-forward’s goal – with a no-nonsense cross sent over early and Lukaku rising above the defence to power in a near-post header.

By finding the net at least once, it felt like the really hard part had been done, and Christian Pulisic went close to a quick second goal with a shot that flew past the far post, but less than 10 minutes after going behind, Palmeiras were given a way back into the game from the penalty spot.It was awarded after a VAR-advised video review by the referee. That showed the ball had hit Thiago Silva’s hand which was raised across his rival’s shoulder while leaping during an aerial duel. Raphael Veiga sent Mendy the wrong way with his spot-kick.

Chelsea had chances after that. Havertz drilled wide from an angle and Pulisic went close again after good work by Kante and Lukaku.When Palmeiras found a way to push forward, they often found Rudiger, our standout defender on the day, in their way.In added time at the end of the 90, Kovacic had a very difficult volleying chance from outside the penalty area which he could not keep down.

Onto extra time

Hakim Ziyech and Malang Sarr came on for the start of the additional half-hour, as Timo Werner and Saul had done during the second half.The first period of extra time was much like most of the game, with Chelsea controlling the ball but facing a Palmeiras blockade. The ball was deflected onto their woodwork during one frantic scramble but Werner appeared to have run offside at the start of that anyway.When Palmeiras substitute Rafael Navarro looked to be heading for goal concerningly, Rudiger intervened again.In the second period, Werner played a sharp one-two with Ziyech and whipped his shot only a foot or two over and Chelsea were now attacking with purpose. When Azpi inside the penalty area hooked a ball towards goal it was blocked but the Blues were instantly convinced it was handball.There was plenty of play before a stoppage for the referee to be sent to the screen but when he was, there was only one decision.Initially, it looked like our captain wanted to take the penalty himself but then he handed the ball to Havertz who from a long run-up, could not have scored it any more emphatically. And that was enough, although there was still time for Luan to be sent-off for bringing down Havertz who was heading towards goal.Champions of the world – We know what we are!

A select band

Chelsea join Manchester United and Liverpool as the only English winners of this trophy and we also join Man United as well as German giants Bayern Munich as the only clubs to achieve the clean sweep of the FIFA Club World Cup plus all the major UEFA trophies (European Cup/Champions League, UEFA Cup/Europa League, Cup Winners’ Cup and Super Cup).On an individual level, Cesar Azpilicueta, the only player today who carried the pain of losing in this final in 2012, has now added this winners’ medal to the ones he has collected for the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup and League Cup.

What's next?

Chelsea Mendy; Christensen (Sarr f-t), Thiago Silva, Rudiger; Azpilicueta (c), Kante, Kovacic (Ziyech f-t), Hudson-Odoi (Saul 76); Mount (Pulisic 31), Lukaku (Werner 76), Havertz.Unused subs Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Alonso, Chalobah, Jorginho, Barkley, Kenedy.Scorers Lukaku 55, Havertz 117 penBooked Havertz 118

Palmeiras Weverton; Rocha, Gomez (c), Luan, Piquerez; Danilo, Ze Rafael (Jailson 60); Dudu (Rafael Navarro 103), Veiga (Atuesta 76), Scarpa; Rony (Wesley 76).Unused subs Mateus, Marcelo Lomba, Kuscevic, Jorge, Mayke, Deyverson, Breno Lopes, Murilo CerqueiraScorer Veiga 64Sent off Luan 126Booked Welsey 105, Luan 116, Atuesta 116

Referee Chris Beath from AustraliaCrowd 32,871