Chelsea booked their place within the Membership World Cup quarter-finals with a dramatic 4-1 win over Benfica, overcoming a marathon 117-minute climate delay, a late penalty setback, and an extra-time onslaught of targets.
Within the Charlotte warmth, Chelsea dominated from the beginning, however Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin delivered a heroic first-half efficiency, preserving the Blues at bay with a collection of wonderful saves. The breakthrough got here within the sixty fourth minute through Reece James, who curled a shocking free-kick into the close to submit for a deserved opener.
Simply when Chelsea seemed to be cruising, lightning struck—actually. A close to two-hour suspension on account of extreme climate interrupted proceedings and altered the momentum. Play resumed near 1am UK time, and inside minutes, Benfica had been handed a lifeline.
Malo Gusto was penalised for a handball, and Angel Di Maria calmly transformed from the spot within the 94th minute to ship the tie to additional time.
Benfica’s hopes had been short-lived. Simply two minutes into additional time, Gianluca Prestianni was despatched off for a second yellow card, giving Chelsea a numerical edge. The Premier League facet capitalized ruthlessly. Christopher Nkunku scored within the 108th minute, reacting quickest after a Caicedo shot was parried.
Pedro Neto made it 3-1 six minutes later, racing behind Benfica’s excessive line earlier than ending coolly. Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor sealed the rout within the 117th minute with a composed one-on-one end.
Man of the Match – Moises Caicedo
The Ecuadorian midfielder was central to Chelsea’s attacking rhythm, contributing to 2 targets and dominating the midfield battle. He tallied three tackles, 4 pictures, and two key passes in a tireless efficiency.
Match Stats:
- Possession: Benfica 36% – 64% Chelsea
- Photographs: Benfica 8 – 22 Chelsea
- Photographs on Goal: Benfica 5 – 12 Chelsea
- Corners: Benfica 2 – 10 Chelsea
- Fouls: Benfica 14 – 21 Chelsea
Notable Highlights:
- Reece James (64’): Sensational direct free-kick
- Angel Di Maria (90+4’): Equalizer from the spot after VAR choice
- Gianluca Prestianni (92’): Pink card for second bookable offense
- Christopher Nkunku (108’): Persistence pays off with go-ahead purpose
- Pedro Neto (114’) & Dewsbury-Corridor (117’): Fast-fire finishes to bury Benfica
Chelsea now advance to face Palmeiras within the quarter-finals, whereas Benfica will regroup forward of their Portuguese Tremendous Cup conflict with Sporting Lisbon on July 31.
