We’re all familiar with the typical reaction when footballers score against their old teams: they usually choose not to celebrate. But what if you score against a team that you’re soon set to join? How should you react then?

As it turns out, you can go ahead and celebrate joyfully, charge into the corner, and proudly thump the badge on your chest. Estevao Willian, an 18-year-old prodigy from Brazil who’ll be moving from Palmeiras to Chelsea after this Club World Cup, has shown us this new way. He’s created a fresh norm.

To give Estevao some credit, his reaction might be understandable if you knew the circumstances of his goal. He scored an outstanding equaliser from what seemed an impossible angle. But after that incredible moment, the game took an unexpected turn, which ultimately decided the Club World Cup encounter.

A more comical way to take home £15.4million you will struggle to find. That is how much money Chelsea will receive for winning this singular game of football to set up a semi-final showdown with another Brazilian side in Fluminense. That will be held in New Jersey.

Tickets for this fixture in Philadelphia had been slashed to £8 amid concerns that the locals may not want to spend their July 4 at the football. Those who did – and there were more than 60,000 of them – were treated to an exciting encounter between two teams attacking freely.

Maybe the money makes the dodgy pitches worth it for the clubs, though Reece James slated the Club World Cup turfs in the build-up to this clash. James was supposed to start in midfield here, but he picked up a problem in the warm-up and was replaced by Andrey Santos.

That swap was only announced a minute before the two teams walked out of the tunnel, with Pedro Neto holding a shirt bearing the names of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva after their tragic deaths. Neto showed tremendous courage in agreeing to start here and he was performing several outrageous pieces of skills down the right wing.

In the 16th minute, Chelsea scored, with Cole Palmer activating ‘Cold’ mode after Trevoh Chalobah threaded a pass into the England playmaker. Palmer performed a lovely turn, shimmied to take himself into space and away from two Palmeiras players, and produced the most nonchalant finish you will see from 16 yards. It was his first goal in eight games for his club.

Palmer sprinted to Tosin Adarabioyo on the substitutes’ bench, or ‘Uncle Tosin’ as he is known as the oldest outfielder in Chelsea’s squad, despite only being 27 years old.

Chelsea continued to create chances, though Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez could not score their opportunities while Christopher Nkunku should have tested Palmeiras goalkeeper Weverton at the very least after being set up by Palmer. Instead, his sent one into orbit.

This must have been a bizarre experience for Estevao, facing his future employers, and Cucurella did not exactly extend a warm welcome to him here. He spent the entirety of the first half giving Estevao a good kicking whenever possible, as if he had been told the new lad is going to be getting his cushty parking spot at Cobham.

Seconds before the break, Liam Delap jumped up for a long ball. He gave his opponent a shoulder barge, but referee Alireza Faghani decided it was too aggressive as he showed him a yellow card. That meant Delap would be suspended for the semi-finals if his team got there.

After 53 minutes, Estevao finally escaped his shadow in Cucurella in order to find some space in the box. He did not have much, but he used it to make it 1-1 from such a tight angle that it warranted asking: ‘How the hell did he score from there?’

Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez had to be disappointed with himself, even if it was a remarkable finish from Estevao, who celebrated by banging the Palmeiras badge on his chest.

The game carried a ‘next goal wins’ feel and then, Gusto picked up possession inside the box. He crossed and a deflection from Giay beat Weverton for 2-1.

Chelsea held on from there to make it through to the semi-finals, despite Estevao giving them an almighty scare. He was consoled at full-time by his future team-mates who, at last, have seen up close how good this kid may truly be.