Chelsea Defeat Benfica to Reach Club World Cup Quarters After Weather Chaos

Chelsea secured a place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals with a dramatic 4-1 win over Benfica following extra time in a match that was significantly prolonged due to severe weather conditions. The game, held at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, stretched over four hours and thirty-nine minutes, largely because of a lengthy weather delay.

The match was initially dominated by Chelsea, who looked on course for a regulation-time victory after Reece James broke the deadlock with a free-kick late in the second half. However, a sudden storm over Charlotte triggered safety protocols, forcing officials to suspend play shortly before full time.

This match marked the sixth weather-related interruption in the tournament, prompting Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca to express frustration with the disruptions. He criticized the handling of weather suspensions, suggesting the frequency of such interruptions reflected broader organizational issues affecting the integrity of competition play.

When the game resumed nearly two hours later, Benfica equalized in stoppage time through a penalty converted by Angel Di Maria. The spot kick was awarded following a VAR review that determined Chelsea defender Malo Gusto had committed a handball offense inside the area.

Chelsea Take Control in Extra Time

Despite Benfica’s resurgence, their momentum waned after going down to ten men at the end of regulation time due to Gianluca Prestianni receiving a second yellow card. Chelsea capitalized on their numerical advantage in extra time.

Christopher Nkunku restored Chelsea’s lead with a close-range effort, benefiting from Moises Caicedo’s deflected shot that slipped under Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. As Benfica pushed forward in search of another equalizer, they left gaps in defense that Chelsea exploited efficiently.

Pedro Neto extended Chelsea’s advantage in the 114th minute with a composed one-on-one finish, and shortly after, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added a fourth goal to seal the result. The victory sets up a quarter-final encounter between Chelsea and Brazilian side Palmeiras.