Chelsea Overcome Weather Delays and Benfica to Secure Club World Cup Quarter-Final Spot

Nkunku, Neto, and Dewsbury-Hall Strike in Extra Time After Dramatic Pause

Chelsea battled through a chaotic match—including a two-hour weather delay—to defeat Benfica 4-1 in extra time and advance to the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals. The Blues will now face Brazil’s Palmeiras next Saturday for a chance to reach the semi-finals.

The game started brightly for Chelsea, with Reece James breaking the deadlock in the 64th minute with a clever free-kick that caught Benfica’s goalkeeper off guard. However, just as the Blues seemed in control, extreme weather in North Carolina forced players off the pitch with only four minutes of regulation time remaining.

When play finally resumed, Benfica threw everything forward and were awarded a controversial penalty after VAR ruled Malo Gusto had handled the ball. Veteran winger Angel Di Maria stepped up and coolly converted, sending the match into extra time.

The momentum shifted further in Chelsea’s favor when Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni received a second yellow card, reducing the Portuguese side to 10 men. The Blues took full advantage, with Christopher Nkunku pouncing on a spilled save to put them back in front. As Benfica pushed for an equalizer, Chelsea sealed the win with late breakaway goals from Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Despite Benfica’s unbeaten tournament record coming into the match, Chelsea’s persistence paid off in a game that had nearly everything—drama, delays, and a flurry of late goals to send the Blues marching on.

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