Thunderstorm forces players off in Chelsea's CWC last-16 clash with Benfica
Enzo Maresca's side were leading 1-0 and just four minutes away from securing their place in the last eight when the referee took players off the field at the Bank of America Stadium.
The match has been suspended due to extreme weather. ⏸️
🔴 0-1 🔵 [85]
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 28, 2025
Captain Reece James had broken the deadlock with a superb free-kick in 64th minute, rewarding Chelsea for a dominant display.
Yet as the final whistle neared, the sky darkened and a game which had largely been played in sweltering 32C heat was halted.
It is the latest of a number of matches in the tournament to have been paused because of a thunderstorm.
The winner of the game, when completed, will face Brazilian side Palmeiras in Philadelphia on Friday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
'It's not normal' - how Chelsea coped with the stoppage
"This is not football."The words of Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca when asked about how the one-hour-53-minute stoppage impacted their Club World Cup last-16 tie against defenders Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill and Tosin Adarabioyo were furious when pulled off the pitch - as was Maresca - having been on course to win with only five minutes of normal time re-entering the operations and dressing room area, players took turns to cycle on exercise bikes to keep their muscles warm and did kick-ups to stay fresh at the Bank of America Stadium in explained the mood and why it impacted performance, adding: "So two hours inside - people speak with the family outside [to check] if they were good with the security. People eating, laughing, talking on their mobiles. It was two hours. That's why I said it's not football."Captain Reece James added: "It was quite disruptive when you're in the flow of the game. Lots of substitutions - trying to get warm and stay warm. It was difficult and the climate was very hot and humid."A senior Chelsea official admitted to confusion and relief around the senior staff after the match."You cannot be inside for two hours. It is something completely new," Maresca said."I can understand that for security reasons you suspend the game. But if you suspend six, seven games that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition."This is a fantastic competition. The Club World Cup is top; we are happy to be in the last eight."It's not normal to suspend a game. In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Probably zero. In Europe, how many games? Zero."
Daily Mirror
41 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool can offer Marc Guehi dream shirt number with summer transfer close
Liverpool's summer window appears to be falling nicely into place - and the same could be said of a deal for Marc Guehi. The Reds are closing in on the Crystal Palace star, who will become their latest big-money addition during a lucrative summer. Guehi will replace academy graduate Jarell Quansah, who is set for a move to German side Bayer Leverkusen. And while the formalities of a switch are still to be sorted, the centre-back could well receive a nice welcome present at Anfield: his dream shirt number. Guehi has worn the number six shirt during his entire time at Selhurst Park following a switch from Chelsea in 2021. He has also become the custodian of the shirt on a number of England camps. Usefully, that number is currently absent on Merseyside. The last owner of the shirt was former Barcelona and Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara, who wore it between 2020 and 2024. Previous owners also include Dejan Lovren, Luis Alberto and Andrea Dossena. Guehi though could opt for a change which might require a bit more work. The defender also opted for the number 5 shirt during a loan spell with Swansea, a number he also wore during his time in Chelsea's academy and with the England youth ranks. As it stands, Ibrahima Konate currently owns that shirt and looks unlikely to let it go of his own accord. But that could potentially change should the Frenchman be sold any time soon. His future remains up in the air with just a year remaining on his contract at Anfield and there currently being no sign of a renewal. And while Guehi looks primed for a move to Merseyside, it appears that he is not going to allow himself to get wrapped up in a transfer saga. "I think the most important thing is just always doing the best that I can for this football club," the defender said about his future last year. "I come in every day and I try to be the same. Would Marc Guehi be a good signing for Liverpool? Share your thoughts in the comments below "I try to work hard. And you know, this football club has given me a lot. I'm still under contract at this football club, so my focus is always at this football club. So, you know, for me, the most important is just doing the best I can and seeing where the future holds." Palace have a £70m asking price for their star defender but are aware that his contractual situation would make a fee of around £40m more likely. Fresh talks are set to take place over the coming days. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Times
an hour ago
- Times
‘It's a joke' — Enzo Maresca fumes after Chelsea's two-hour weather delay
A furious Enzo Maresca appeared to question the suitability of the United States to host the Club World Cup after Chelsea's 4-1 victory over Benfica became the sixth match of the tournament to be interrupted by severe storms. Chelsea's match was delayed nearly two hours due to a thunderstorm near the Bank of America stadium in Charlotte. The match was suspended in the 86th minute with Chelsea looking comfortable and leading 1-0, however after the break, Benfica managed to take the game to extra-time courtesy of a penalty from Ángel Di María. Chelsea went on to win 4-1 in extra time, helped by a strong response and a red card for Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni, but Maresca was unhappy with the length of the delay, calling it a 'joke' and insisting that it changed the game and made it difficult to coach. 'After the break, the game changed completely,' Maresca said. 'I think for me personally it's not football. It's already [six] games that they suspended. I think it's a joke to be honest, it's not football. It's not for us. You cannot be inside. It's completely something new, but I struggle to understand. I can understand that for security reasons, you are to suspend the game. But if you suspend [six] games, that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition.' The thunderstorm meant that FIFA had to implement a 'seek cover' protocol as players left the field and supporters moved inside and onto the concourses. The protocol meant that the match was delayed by 30 minutes but if a lightning strike was detected to have struck the ground within a ten-mile radius of the stadium, the 30-minute clock was reset. Ultimately the delay lasted for one hour and 56 minutes. This was the second longest delay of the tournament due to weather, with Benfica participants in the longest delay, a two-hour break during their 6-0 win over Auckland City in Orlando. There have been four other delays at the tournament so far due to storms, including Ulsan vs Mamelodi Sundowns in Orlando, Red Bull Salzburg against Pachuca in Cincinnati, Boca Juniors against Auckland City in Nashville and Palmeiras v Al Ahly in New Jersey. Other matches have taken place in high heat. The match in Charlotte, though, would become the longest match of the tournament so far, where a 4pm kick off ended at 8.38pm local time. Asked whether he was referring to the stadium in Charlotte specifically regarding suitability to host the tournament, Maresca said: 'No, no, no. I'm saying that. I ask you, if in this competition, they already suspended six, seven, eight games, probably there is something that is not working well. Because in a football game, it's not normal to suspend a game.' Pushed on whether the delays are bad for a new competition like the Club World Cup, Maresca said: 'Please, don't misunderstand me. I said it's a fantastic competition. It's a Club World Cup. It's top. We are happy to be in the last eight. We are happy to win all these kind of things. But something happens, [six] games suspended. 'In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Zero, probably. In Europe, how many games? Zero. We are here, two weeks, they're already suspended [six] games. There is some problem for me personally. But I'm talking as a manager. Because when you are two hours inside and you try to keep them in the game, but for two hours, they are speaking with the family outside for safety reasons. They are eating something, they are playing, they are laughing. How can you keep them two hours inside, focused? It's a joke. That's why I said it. Then we are happy. We are happy to be here. We are happy to be in this competition. But it's something that it's not normal for.' Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Chelsea players kept themselves warm during the break by using exercise bikes in the dressing room. 'Two hours inside; people speak with the family outside, if they were good, the security, people eating, people laughing, people talking on the mobile, It's two hours,' Maresca said. 'That's why I said it's not football. 'It's something that you struggle to understand. But we tried to go out, continue in the same way, knowing that it was difficult. It's not random that for 85 minutes, we didn't concede. nothing. And then for five minutes, we conceded a few chances. Why? It's because it started a completely different game. It's not normal. It's not football.' Benfica managed to equalise from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time after Malo Gusto was adjudged to have handled Nicolás Otamendi's header. By the letter of the law it is a penalty, due to his arm's outstretched position, but the French defender could not see the direction of play having leapt to deal with the initial cross and it felt like an extremely harsh decision. VAR sent the referee, Slavko Vincic, to the monitor and he awarded the penalty. Moises Caicedo said the players were upset about the decision. 'We thought it wasn't a penalty because he didn't look at the ball,' he said. 'He couldn't do anything.' Chelsea will face Palmeiras in the quarter-final of the Club World Cup next Friday, in Philadelphia.
