Chelsea will be the rival of Brazilian Palmeiras in the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup. After 4 hours and 40 minutes due to a forced stop (due to storm threat) and 120 minutes, including extra time, Enzo Maresca's team liquidated Benfica (1-4) with three goals in the second half of extra time.
Chelsea was better in the first half, with Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer doing a lot of damage on the flanks. Otamendi saved a clear goal from Enzo Fernández with a timely clearance inside the area in the 18th minute, while António did the same by heading away a shot from Cucurella on the line.
The Catalan was close to scoring again in the 43rd minute, with a one-on-one sent to the corner by Trubin with a saving hand. With many difficulties, Bruno Lage's team kept the score at zero until halftime, barely showing up once in the rival area.
Chelsea had the game in their pocket, but the weather stoppage arrived
After halftime, the dynamic was identical to the first half. Total siege from Chelsea, with Benfica retreating near their area. Finally, in the 64th minute, the Portuguese resistance fell due to a huge mistake by Trubin.
The Ukrainian goalkeeper was expecting a cross to the heart of the area in a free kick from the left wing by Reece James. However, the English international caught the goalkeeper out of position and ended up scoring with a shot adjusted to the near post.
With the 1-0, Benfica had no choice but to go for the tie. Prestianni had the first clear chance for the 'eagles' in the 78th minute, after a good overflow on the left that ended in a deflected shot.
Chelsea was holding the lead without suffering too much, but in the 85th minute the unexpected happened: forecast of an electrical storm and, according to protocol, the match was stopped until further notice. Although not a drop fell on the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, the weather threat kept the match in suspense for almost 2 hours.
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Di María sent the match to extra time with his third penalty of the tournament
The referee gave six minutes of added time after the restart and, in the 90+1 minute, a penalty handball by Malo Gusto after a cross from Ángel Di María from the side was warned by the VAR.
The referee sanctioned the penalty after reviewing the action on the monitor and the Argentine took charge of the penalty, scoring his fourth penalty of the tournament. Thus, the match went to extra time, hovering around 5 hours due to the stoppage.
Already in extra time, Benfica was left with ten after the expulsion of Prestianni (double yellow) in the 92nd minute. The match became back and forth, totally open and with the Portuguese generating more danger on the counterattack.
Chelsea destroyed Benfica in the second half of extra time
However, in the 108th minute, the London team regained the lead thanks to a goal from Christopher Nkunku. While the entire 'blue' bench was claiming a non-existent penalty, a mistake in Benfica's exit allowed the English to set up a lethal counterattack on the left.
Trubin contained the initial shot halfway, Otamendi saved in the small area, but the loose ball fell to Nkunku and the striker, with a half turn, broke the Portuguese goal with a powerful left footed shot.
With Benfica totally broken in the back, Pedro Neto made the third with another remarkable definition entering from the right, opening his foot in the one-on-one against Trubin. To add insult to injury, in the 116th minute the fourth fell, after another lethal counterattack culminated by Dewsbury-Hall.
In this way, Chelsea will face Brazilian Palmeiras in the quarterfinals next Friday, July 4. On Sunday, Inter Miami and PSG open the day, while Bayern Munich and Flamengo will define the other qualifier in the second hour.