Chelsea finally secured their place in the Club World Cup last eight after a marathon encounter against Benfica that stretched nearly four hours, thanks to an extra-time winner from Christopher Nkunku. The match, held at the Bank of America Stadium, was heavily disrupted by severe weather, including a nearly two-hour delay caused by a thunderstorm that forced the players off the pitch and left fans seeking cover.
Chelsea started strong, taking the lead through a spectacular free-kick from Reece James. The Blues appeared to be cruising to victory against a Benfica side that lacked the spark they showed when beating Bayern Munich. However, with just five minutes remaining in normal time, a lightning strike nearby prompted the referee to halt the game, enforcing a severe weather protocol that delayed play for almost two hours. The constant lightning strikes reset the clock on the delay, prolonging the wait and testing the patience of everyone involved.
When play finally resumed, chaos ensued. Benfica earned a late penalty after a VAR review found Malo Gusto guilty of handball following a header from Nicolas Otamendi. Angel Di Maria stepped up to convert the spot-kick, leveling the score at 1-1 and forcing extra time. The momentum briefly swung Benfica’s way, but their advantage was short-lived. Substitute Gianluca Prestiani received a second yellow card for a foul on Levi Colwill, reducing Benfica to ten men.
Chelsea capitalized on their numerical advantage in extra time. Nkunku, who had struggled to find a regular role in manager Enzo Maresca’s system and was introduced late in the game, latched onto a loose ball after Moises Caicedo’s interception and calmly slotted home to give Chelsea the lead. The visitors then extended their advantage with goals from Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, securing a 4-1 victory that reflected their dominance in the contest.
The win highlights Chelsea’s resilience and ability to grind out results under challenging conditions an essential trait for tournament football. Their next challenge comes against Palmeiras in the quarter-finals, a fixture that also serves as an opportunity to assess new signing Willian Estevao, the Brazilian prodigy who joins Chelsea after the tournament.
Tactically, Maresca had experimented by starting with Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Romeo Lavia together in midfield, trying to exploit spaces against Benfica’s wing-back system. Cole Palmer was deployed on the left flank, allowing full-back Marc Cucurella to push forward more aggressively. Despite early frustration and the strange pitch conditions, Chelsea managed to break through with James’s pinpoint free-kick before weather delays disrupted the flow.
Ultimately, Chelsea’s perseverance through a chaotic evening with its mix of weather delays, VAR drama, and red cards paid off. The team now moves on, showing they can win by any means necessary, a promising sign as the tournament progresses.
