Chelsea beat 10-man Benfica thanks to three late extra-time goals in an extraordinary Club World Cup last-16 match that lasted more than four hours and included a near two-hour delay for extreme weather.
Goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the second half of extra time in Charlotte, North Carolina eventually saw Chelsea through to the quarter-finals.
The Premier League side had been heading for an uneventful victory, with Reece James’ brilliant near-post free-kick in the 64th minute looking like the winner.
However, with just four minutes left, players were taken off the pitch due to thunderstorms in the area and, when the teams eventually returned after nearly two hours, Benfica scored with their first shot on target to take the game into extra time.
Angel di Maria, playing his final game for Benfica, converted from the penalty spot in the 94th minute after a Chelsea handball to make it 1-1.
Two yellow cards in the 96th minute and first minute of extra time saw youngster Gianluca Prestianni sent off, the latter for a late challenge on Levi Colwill.
And Chelsea made the man advantage pay eventually, as they set up a Friday quarter-final in Philadelphia against Brazil’s Palmeiras.
There was a crowd of only 25,929 in the 74,867-capacity Bank of America Stadium for the game, which saw Chelsea defender Benoit Badiashile injured – he left the ground on crutches – and star midfielder Moises Caicedo pick up a second booking of the campaign to earn a one-match suspension.
What was the main talking point?
Thunderstorms are commonplace in the local Charlotte area and the threat of one kickstarts a ‘seek cover protocol’.
It is reset by a further 30 minutes every time another lightning strike occurs within an eight-mile radius.
This is, however, not something the majority of the football audience or the players involved in the match are used to – and Chelsea’s squad looked furious when they were dragged off.
Who stood out and who did not?
Aside from the weather experts, both full-backs James and Cucurella were outstanding at both ends of the pitch in a new system being rolled out by manager Enzo Maresca in the Club World Cup.
But the problem with the match was that there was a before and after the stoppage with a chaotic-looking Chelsea eleven and Benfica’s red card impacting the match with substitute Malo Gusto struggling.
The standout statistics
Two of James’ three goals in 2025 have been on direct free-kicks (also v Bournemouth in January), with those being Chelsea’s only two direct free-kick goals this calendar year.
Chelsea had not faced a shot on target in consecutive Club World Cup matches until Di Maria’s late penalty.
Benfica are winless in their past eight games against English opponents (three draws, five defeats) since a 3-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League in March 2014.
What’s next for these teams?
Chelsea next face Palmeiras in the quarter-final in Philadelphia on Friday (kick-off 20:00 BST) but Benfica now turn their focus to a Champions League play-off while the Portuguese season begins with the Supertaca – their domestic Super Cup – against Sporting on 31 July.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
