Chelsea dominated from the start against Group C leaders Benfica at Bank of America Stadium (North Carolina). In the 64th minute, their dominance materialized into the opening goal, a stunning free-kick from near the left sideline by captain Reece James.
As victory seemed within reach, the unexpected happened. The referee suspended the match due to unusual weather, as dark clouds gathered and heavy rain threatened. Stadium officials instructed spectators to seek shelter, much to the displeasure of the Chelsea coaching staff.
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James celebrates his opening goal in Chelsea's 4-1 victory over Benfica in the round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup at Bank of America Stadium (North Carolina) on 28/6/2025. Photo: *AFP* |
During the delay, the players maintained their rhythm with light exercises in the locker room.
After about two hours, play resumed from the 86th minute. With nothing to lose, Benfica rallied and equalized. In the 95th minute, after Malo Gusto handled the ball in the penalty area, veteran Angel Di Maria converted the resulting penalty for the Portuguese side.
With the score tied after regulation time, the match went into extra time. Benfica seemed to have the psychological advantage, having forced Chelsea to play additional minutes. However, the game took another unexpected turn. In the 92nd minute, after a foul on Levi Colwill, Gianluca Prestianni received a second yellow card, reducing Benfica to 10 men.
The numerical advantage made it easier for Chelsea to create a series of chances. With a bit more luck, the English team could have won in the first period of extra time.
Benfica's hopes of holding on for a penalty shootout were dashed in the 108th minute. After Moises Caicedo's shot was saved by goalkeeper Trubin, Christopher Nkunku pounced on the rebound to put Chelsea ahead.
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Nkunku celebrates his goal against Benfica. Photo: *AP* |
Forced to abandon their defensive strategy, Benfica pushed forward for another equalizer. This left gaps for Chelsea to exploit. In the 114th minute, a swift counter-attack led to Pedro Neto scoring past Trubin to make it 3-1. Four minutes later, Cole Palmer set up Dewsbury-Hall to seal a 4-1 victory.
Chelsea will face Palmeiras in the quarterfinals. Palmeiras also needed 120 minutes to defeat fellow Brazilian side Botafogo 1-0, with Paulinho scoring the only goal in the 100th minute.
Thanh Quy
