Chelsea beats Benfica and will be Palmeiras’ rival in the Club World Cup quarter-finals
The English won 4-1 after Prestianni was sent off and will meet Abel Ferreira’s team again in a knockout match in the next phase of the competition.
Chelsea secured their place in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup by beating Benfica 4-1 this Saturday (28), at the Bank of America Stadium , in Charlotte, North Carolina . After a draw in regular time, the English team took the lead in extra time and now face Palmeiras in the next phase of the competition.
Right-back Reece James opened the scoring in the second half from a free kick. The game was interrupted by a long stoppage due to the risk of lightning, and Benfica managed to equalise in the 49th minute through a goal from Ángel Di María . In extra time, the Blues took advantage of their numerical superiority after Gianluca Prestianni ‘s sending off and built up the victory with goals from Christopher Nkunku , Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall .
The result has direct implications for Palmeiras: just like Verdão, who played 120 minutes against Botafogo , Chelsea also arrives at the quarter-final clash with similar physical exhaustion, which could balance the conditions for the decisive clash.
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The duel between England and São Paulo will be a repeat of the 2021 final, still in the old format of the tournament. On that occasion, the London team emerged victorious and took the World Cup title.
Chelsea put Benfica under pressure and almost opened the scoring in the first half
In a “now it’s on” mood, Chelsea left the group stage behind and showed right away that the knockout stages would be different. From the first minutes, the Blues dictated the pace of the match and went all out against Benfica. No lackluster football the English team came out with intensity, occupying the spaces and exploiting the plays on the wings.
Benfica tried to respond with high pressure, but ended up struggling with the spaces left in defense. And then Chelsea had a field day: Liam Delap appeared free in the area, reached the goal line and rolled the ball back. Marc Cucurella came next, cleared the marker and unleashed a bomb into the corner. Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin was already beaten, but António Silva appeared out of nowhere to save the ball on the line, in a true defensive miracle.
The move set the game on fire and Chelsea. Excited, the London team kept pressing. Cole Palmer tried from outside the area, but Trubin saved. Then it was Cucurella’s turn to come up with another dangerous shot, but the Encarnados ‘ goalkeeper remained inspired and prevented the goal with another great save. All that was missing was the ball in the net to crown the English team’s great first half.
Reece James leads the way, but Benfica draw with drama and VAR at the last minute
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The second half began as the first had ended: Chelsea on top and Benfica holding on as best they could. The English team kept up the pace and, with possession at their feet, pressured the Portuguese until they finally found a way to score. First, Moisés Caicedo unleashed a bomb from distance and forced Trubin to work. Then, Benoît Badiashile appeared high up the pitch but sent it wide. The insistence was clear and the goal was only a matter of time.
In the 20th minute, he came. And he did it in style. From a free kick, Reece James decided to take a chance on goal. He caught the Benfica defense and goalkeeper Trubin off guard, sending the ball straight into the back of the net. A clever goal, one of those that shows how the full-back is always connected to the game.
Behind on the scoreboard, Benfica had to come out of hiding. They tried to push Chelsea back, but the English team continued to control the game well and even managed to score again with Liam Delap, taking advantage of a fast counterattack. But the linesman raised the flag: offside.
When everything seemed to be on track for a London victory, the weather decided to take part in the game. A strong storm with a risk of lightning stopped the game five minutes before the end. It took almost two hours for the whistle to sound again.
On the return leg, Benfica was given a reprieve. And it was a stroke of luck. When the ball crossed into the box, it hit Malo Gusto ‘s arm . The referee consulted the VAR and had no doubts: a penalty. Di María showed his usual coolness and made it all even. A draw that looked like a miracle and the decision of who would win the match was left for extra time.
With one more man, Chelsea takes off in extra time and thrashes Benfica on their way to the quarterfinals
The equalizer at the end of regulation time gave Benfica a momentary boost, but the excitement was short-lived. Right at the beginning of extra time, Gianluca Prestianni lost his temper, committed a hard foul and was sent off, leaving the Portuguese with one less player. From then on, Chelsea calmly regained control of the match and opened the floodgates.
Despite trying to reorganize, Benfica could not hold off the English team’s momentum. Right at the beginning of the second half of extra time, Trubin made a terrible mistake, and Nkunku, alert, appeared free in the penalty area to push the ball into the goal and put the Blues back in the lead.
Desperate, the Encarnados went for it all or nothing and Chelsea were grateful. In a quick counterattack, Caicedo launched Pedro Neto , who invaded the area, came face to face with Trubin and sent it into the corner to increase the score.
In the final minutes, there was still time for one more. With Benfica completely exposed, Dewsbury-Hall took off unmarked, showed class in his finishing and turned the game into a rout.
With the 4-1 victory, Chelsea seals their ticket to the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup and will face Palmeiras in a duel of giants.
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