Chelsea defeat Benfica in weather-delayed Club World Cup clash
CHELSEA secured a hard-fought 4-1 victory over Benfica in a weather-disrupted Club World Cup last-16 tie at Bank of America Stadium, setting up a quarter-final clash with Brazilian side Palmeiras. The match, which lasted nearly five hours due to a lengthy delay, saw late goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall seal the win for the London club.
The game was halted for nearly two hours due to a storm in Charlotte, marking the sixth weather-related disruption in this year's tournament. Chelsea had been leading 1-0 through Reece James' late free-kick before the delay, but Benfica equalised in injury time via an Angel Di Maria penalty following a VAR intervention.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca criticised the lengthy stoppage, calling it 'a joke' and stating, 'For 85 minutes we were in control... then after the break, the game changed—for me personally, it's not football.'
Despite Benfica's resurgence after the restart, Chelsea regained control in extra time. Nkunku restored their lead before Neto and Dewsbury-Hall added late goals to secure the win. Chelsea will now face Palmeiras in Philadelphia on Friday.
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