Liam Delap faces a pivotal few days ahead for Chelsea, despite being a recent addition to the squad.
The striker, acquired for £30 million, netted his inaugural goal for his new team, and subsequent events have placed him in a commanding position for the central forward spot.
FIFA`s decision to double the ban length for his competitor, Nicolas Jackson, means Delap is set to lead the attack once more against Benfica on Saturday, as the Club World Cup knockout rounds begin to intensify.
If he maintains this level of performance, it is quite possible Delap could establish himself as the undisputed first-choice striker by the conclusion of June and not look back.
The 22-year-old Delap now has both a goal and an assist to his name, achieved against admittedly weak opposition in a tournament that, even without demanding weather conditions, takes a toll on the players physically.
Jackson, meanwhile, is serving his suspension and reflects on his regrettable moment of indiscipline – the decision to plant his studs into an opponent`s shin in the previous match.
A rash decision that could similarly impact his future prospects.
While the majority of Chelsea supporters back in England were sleeping, Delap provided his new team with the vital spark they had been desperately seeking for months.
Displaying robustness yet control, with an old-school approach evident even in his rolled-down socks, the Blues may finally have a reliable centre forward they can count on consistently.
Beyond his goal, which was Chelsea`s second just before halftime, Delap also saw a powerful header cleared off the line, and an earlier scoring opportunity was thwarted only by a last-ditch defensive block.
Effectively channeling aggression is paramount for a striker engaging in physical battles, an area where Jackson is currently faltering.
He is presently banned across two different competitions, having received a red card in the Premier League against Newcastle last month for elbowing Sven Botman.
Despite a largely uninspiring display from a significantly changed Chelsea side against a very poor team, they did manage to progress to the last 16, with the opening goal coming from Tosin`s header.
The imposing central defender connected with an Enzo Fernandez free-kick three minutes into first-half injury time.
Although Chelsea only needed a draw to advance, taking the lead provided immense relief for a team that had made eight changes following their previous 3-1 defeat to Brazilian club Flamengo.
Delap struck again merely two minutes after Tosin`s goal, sealing the win that sees Chelsea finish as Group D runners-up. They are now heading to Miami this morning to establish their base before flying to Charlotte, North Carolina, to play Benfica on Saturday afternoon UK time as the knockout stage commences.
An added positive outcome is that they avoid a potential clash with Harry Kane and Bayern Munich for the immediate future.
Head coach Enzo Maresca waited until the opposition had no chance of mounting a comeback before making further rotations, bringing on midfielder Andrey Santos for his debut, replacing Fernandez.
The Brazilian has technically been a Chelsea player for two and a half years but has spent that time on loan at Nottingham Forest and sister club Strasbourg.
Delap was substituted just before the hour mark, receiving warm appreciation from the local fans, and he appears increasingly comfortable stepping into Jackson`s role the longer Chelsea remains in this tournament.
Substitute Tyrique George completed the 3-0 victory five minutes into the seven minutes of added time with a powerful shot that the Tunis goalkeeper couldn`t hold.
Marcus Bellamy