Chelsea qualified in the quarterfinals at the World Club Championship, after an anthological match against Benfica

Enzo Maresca's band dictated the rhythm in the first 45 minutes of the duel on Bank of America Stadium.

Chelsea a categorical control first half »Cucurella, close to emptiness in two lines

The Londoners had possession, elegantly combined in the opposing half and created some important opportunities to mark, the biggest bearing the signature of Marc Cucurella.

In the 19th minute, the Spanish defender was about to open the score, but his shot inside the box was rejected from the gate line by Antonio Silva.

The second chance was even higher and came in the 38th minute, when the same Cucurella escaped with Trubin alone, but the Ukrainian goalkeeper had a big day intervention and managed to block the execution.

On the other hand, Benfica was unrecognizable. Bruno Lage's team practiced a waiting game, relying on the counter -attack weapon, but did not manage to threaten the gate defended by Robert Sanchez.

Therefore, the two teams entered the cabins, score 0-0.

Benfica na escaped with the clean face and in the second act

Things have not changed in the second part of the match. Chelsea was constantly present in the opposing half, putting a pressure on the defensive of the “vultures”, and this finally paid off.

In the 64th minute, Captain Reece James opened the scoring, following an angle free kick, to which Trubin positioned unhappy, thus bringing the London to the advantage.

Even after this event, the Portuguese formation still had no reaction, and the London group continued its forcing, managing to score once more, through Liam Delap in the 80th minute, but the goal was canceled for offside.

The match was interrupted because of the weather five minutes before the end and had an anthological outcome

In the 85th minute, the game was put on “Hold” for about two hours due to the bad weather in Charlotte. The Slavko Vincic central sent the teams to the booths, thus respecting the conditions imposed by FIFA regarding the safety measures.

Once the game resumed, however, Benfica's players were much more focused and put pressure on Chelsea's defense for the first time in this match.

The efforts in the 12th hour of the Portuguese was rewarded, Bruno Lage's band benefiting from a 11-meter blow in the additional minutes, after a hen committed by Malo Gusto in his own square. Angel Di Maria transformed without emotions, thus sending the game into extensions.

Then there were two ranges of extensions, in which the two teams sought to obtain the qualification without reaching the breaks, and those who succeeded were the London.

Gianluca Prestianni saw the second yellow card and was eliminated, after an extremely harsh foul on Crowill.

After this event, Enzo Maresca's band was discharged, scoring three times in Trubin's gate, the goals being signed by Christopher Nkunku (108 '), Pedro Neto (115') and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (117 ').

Thus, Chelsea qualified in the quarterfinals at the club World Cup, where he will face the Brazilians from Palmeiras.

The painting of “Optimilor” from the World Club Championship 2025

• Inter Milan – Fluminense

• Manchester City – Al -Hilal

• Palmeiras – Botafogo

• Benfica – Chelsea

• PSG – Inter Miami

• Flamego – Bayern Munich

• Real Madrid – Juventus

• Borussia Dortmund – Monterrey

Final »Benfica – Chelsea 1-4

• Click here for statistics!

• They scored: A. Di Maria (90 '+5' – P) / R. James (64 '), C. Nkunku (108'), P. Neto (115 '), K. Dewsbury -Hall (117');

• Pedro Neto decisively increased the advantage of London in the 115th minute, after an individual race, at the end of which he completed in the Benfica gate, and the final score was set by Dewsbury-Hall, two minutes later;

• Minute 108: Christopher nkunku does 2-1! Chelsea's footballer took advantage of Trubin's wrong rejection and sent the ball into the gate;

• Minute 92: Benfica stays in 10! Gianluca Prestianni saw the second yellow card and was eliminated;

• After almost two hours of inuce, the players returned to the field, and in the additional minutes of the match, Angel Di Maria restored equality, turning a blow from 11 meters. Thus, the dispute entered the extensions;

• Minute 80: Liam Delap managed to score, but the goal was canceled for offside;

• Minute 64: Chelsea empty! Captain Reece James opened the scoring, following an angle free kick, to which Trubin positioned unhappy. 1-0 for Maresca's band;

• Minute 61: The same is true for Moices Căicedo, Chelsea's midfielder;

• Minute 50: Yellow card collected by Vangelis Pavlidis. The Greek footballer will miss the duel from the quarters, in case Benfica will qualify;

• After the first 45 minutes, the table remained intact. Although they categorically dominated the game, the Londoners failed to score. Benfica stood in the box and tried to hit the counterattack but created no important opportunity;

• Minute 38: Another important opportunity for London. The same Cucurella resumed towards Trubin's gate, but the Ukrainian goalkeeper had a great intervention;

• Minute 19: Chelsea occasion. Marc Cucurella shot dangerously inside the box, but Antonio Silva rejected the port of the gate.

UPDATE (02:40) »Players of the two teams went out for heating

Almost two hours after the match, the footballers from Chelsea and Benfica returned to the field. The remaining minutes will be disputed with almost empty stands, as most fans have left the arena.

The heating will only take 5 minutes, not 15 as it was initially announced, after which the match will resume.

UPDATE (02:15) »The match should resume at 02:50, announces DAZN

According to Dazn, players are expected to get out of the cabins in the next 20 minutes, but they will make another 15 minutes of heating.

Therefore, the game would resume at 2:50, Romania time, if not a new lightning bolt. In this case, there will be another 30 minutes of waiting until the players return to the field.

UPDATE (01:40) »The match should have resumed at 01:45, Romania time, but each lightning comes with a gap of another 30 minutes

Each time the lightning strikes the local area within a 16 -kilometer radius, the game for resuming the game is reset for another 30 minutes.

However, this is not something that the public or footballers involved in the match are common, and Chelsea's players were extremely unhappy when they were out of the field.

Benfica – Chelsea, interrupted in the 85th minute due to the adverse weather in Charlotte

Five minutes before the end of the match, the center of the match sent the two teams to the locker room, due to the black clouds that crushed on the city.

FIFA states: “Due to the unfavorable weather conditions in Charlotte, including the risk of lightning in the vicinity of the Bank of America stadium, the World Cup match between SL Benfica and Chelsea FC has been suspended. A 30 -minute break was provided. We will comply with the settled protocols set”.

Photo: Voyo.ro

Benfica – Chelsea »Start teams:

Benfica (4-2-3-1): Trubin – Arsnes, Silva, Otamendi, Dahl – Florentino, Barreiro – Di Maria, Kokcu, Schjelderup – Pavlidis
reserves: Ferreira – Akturkoglu, Bajrami, Belotti, Bruma, Carreras, Gouveia, Luis, Oliveira, Prestianni, Priososte, Rego, Santos, Veloso, Wynder
Coach: Bruno Lage

Chelsea (4-3-3): Sanchez – James, Badiashile, Crowill, Cucurella – Lavia, Caicedo, Fernandez – Palmer, Delap, Neto
reserves: Penders, Slonina – Acheampong, Adarabioyo, Andrey, Anselmino, Chalobah, Dewbury -Hall, Essugo, George, Guiu, Gusto, Mădueke, Nkunku, Sarr
Coach: Enzo Maresca