Chelsea secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup following a dramatic 4-1 win over Benfica on Saturday. The round-of-16 clash, which was overseen by head coach Enzo Maresca, was interrupted for nearly two hours due to extreme weather conditions. The stoppage lasted one hour and 57 minutes, but Chelsea emerged from the disruption to dominate extra time.
The match’s first goal came in the second half courtesy of a stunning free-kick from Reece James. The Chelsea captain and full-back curled the ball into the net to open the scoring, and the Premier League side looked to be heading for a routine win. However, things took a turn in the final minutes of regulation.
With the clock approaching full time, adverse weather led to a suspension of play. FIFA officials halted the game in the 86th minute, and both teams were kept in the dressing rooms for nearly the duration of an entire half before resuming the action.
Benfica equalise after restart, but Chelsea dominate extra time
After the lengthy delay, Benfica were quick to take advantage. In stoppage time, Malo Gusto committed a handball in the box, which gave Benfica a penalty opportunity. Veteran winger Angel Di Maria stepped up and converted the spot-kick to bring the match level, marking his fourth goal of the tournament.
Extra time began with a major setback for the Portuguese side. Gianluca Prestianni received a second yellow card just two minutes into the added period, reducing Benfica to ten players. Chelsea took full control from that point onward, pressing high and breaking through the weakened defence.
Christopher Nkunku scored what would become the winning goal in the 108th minute. His finish not only put Chelsea ahead again but also earned the club a significant financial reward from the competition’s prize pool—reportedly worth $13.1 million. The goals kept coming, as Pedro Neto extended the lead, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added a fourth late on.
Next challenge: Palmeiras await, Caicedo suspended
Chelsea’s win sets up a quarter-final showdown against Palmeiras. The upcoming match is expected to be a key test for Maresca’s side as they aim to push further in the tournament.
One notable absence in the next fixture will be Moises Caicedo. The midfielder picked up his second yellow card of the competition, triggering a suspension that will rule him out of the quarter-final clash. Despite that, Chelsea will move forward with confidence after a hard-fought, weather-affected triumph.
