Whatever Georgia had in mind, Chelsea's Club World Cup opener was not, with a curious spectacle that unfolded for a scarce audience in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Only 22,137 supporters stood up in the Arena of 75,000 capacity, with the kick-off time from Monday 3 p.m. and $ 50 to see how the Premier League visitors do not convince too much to play Hooky of work. There can be no sugar coating. It was less than ideal for FIFA, especially since Atlanta United have the best average attendees in the MLS with 44,000 per game, and a brutal look for a competition that cost Dazn about $ 1 billion to guarantee the broadcasting rights.
Yet the parts of empty seats were not on Chelsea. They could only concentrate on the 11 Chaps from Los Angeles for them, not the tens of thousands who miss in the area.
The side of Enzo Maresca eventually won comfortably enough, in which Pedro Neto scored their first and Enzo Fernandez their second after a beautiful cross from Liam Delap, their £ 30 million men who made a debut here when he replaced Nicolas Jackson as a replacement after 64 minutes.
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca went strong for those who show up, trusting his regulars instead of Delap or to throw one of his other newcomers in the starting line-up.
Jackson's first chance to score came within five minutes when his improvised turn Lafc defender Eddie Segura sent to the Coca Cola Museum on the road, but Hugo Lloris, the former goalkeeper of Tottenham Hotspur, denied him with a strong hand.
While Jackson was Chelsea's undisputed first choice last season when he was fit, he must now earn that right, and it was his finenessed footwork that Noni Madueke set up with a good opportunity to open the score. The wing player, who can be a frustrating watch for fans given his occasional waste, shot directly on Lloris.
When Palmer then took possession of 25 meters, he did not need a second invitation to curl one, a slight deflection that did enough to send it to the roof of Lloris' goal.
This Club World Cup -opener for Chelsea arrived 19 days after they had defeated real betis in the Conference League final in Wroclaw, Poland. Some players had since protected a mini-break, but the majority spent that period with their national teams, including Palmer and Madueke.
They seemed energetic enough here, and Jackson also after representing Senegal. The Chelsea striker had the game on a string and it was in the 34th minute when he created the opener after he fell deep to midfield. He held the ball up for Aaron Long, turned forward and released Pedro Neto with a perfectly weighted pass behind.
A Cruyff turn from Neto sent Ryan Hollingshead out of sight while Chelsea's winger composed himself and found the top left corner outside Lloris for 1-0.
Co-ownership of Will Ferrell and Magic Johnson, including Lafc, turned to one of their controversial players during the break. Op Olivier Giroud, the former Chelsea striker, came to try to give them the attacking presence that had been absent at the start.
However, the beginning of the second half was delayed in curious circumstances when Giroud was on the side of the field, topless. It turned out that his shirt was still in the dressing room, and we all had to wait while someone was going to get it, with Chelsea's players who complained.
David Martinez was also introduced by Lafc head coach Steve Cherundolo, and two chances quickly arrived. First he worried Robert Sanchez when he tried to find the corner from 20 meters. He then cut a shot from a narrow angle after he had driven the name rule.
Chelsea lived dangerous when Lafc started to see more of half of their opponents. Denis Bouanga should have scored when he only had Sanchez for him, but the goalkeeper of Chelsea left a long leg enough to ensure that their lead remained.
DELAP replaced Jackson after 64 minutes with an excellent run almost leading Fernandez score, because it was announced that 22,137 fans were present.
The victory was packed in the 79th minute when Delap Fernandez set up again, with Chelsea now on his way to a winning start in the club World Cup, despite the fact that there was hardly a soul to see it.