Sports

📹 Chelsea oust Benfica, face Palmeiras in Club World Cup quarters

📹 Chelsea oust Benfica, face Palmeiras in Club World Cup quarters

In Charlotte, Chelsea defeated Benfica 4-1 in extra time this Saturday (28th), in the Round of 16 of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

The English side dominated the first half, creating great chances. Goalkeeper Trubin made at least three good saves.

Defender Antonio Silva even cleared a ball off the line after a shot from Cucurella.

After the break, the scenario didn’t change much. 

In the very first minute, Otamendi almost scored an own goal while trying to clear a Palmer cross. 

After much persistence, Chelsea opened the scoring with a free kick from Reece James from the edge of the box. 

The ball went into the corner, right by the post, and goalkeeper Trubin couldn’t make the save.

The Blues even managed to extend their lead with Delap dribbling past goalkeeper Trubin, but the goal was disallowed for offside.

With five minutes left in regulation time, the adverse weather protocol was activated and the match was interrupted due to concerns about lightning strikes near the stadium. 

The players went to the locker room, the fans had to leave the stands, and after 30 minutes, the match resumed.

After almost two hours of stoppage, the game resumed for the final five minutes (plus stoppage time).

The problem was that, after a free kick into the box, Otamendi headed the ball, and it hit the arm of a Chelsea defender. After a VAR review, a penalty was awarded!

Di María waited for the goalkeeper to dive and calmly slotted the ball down the middle to equalize for Benfica and take the Round of 16 to extra time.

And, in the second half of extra time, Caicedo received the ball on the left wing, shot, goalkeeper Trubin made a huge mistake as the ball slipped under his body, and Nkunku threw himself at the far post in a challenge with Otamendi to score for Chelsea!

On another deadly counterattack, Pedro Neto received the ball on the right wing, sped forward unmarked, entered the box and finished past Trubin to extend the lead.

And there was more: Dewsbury-Hall received a long ball between the defenders at the halfway line, sprinted forward and turned the win into a rout!

🚦 What’s next

With the win, Chelsea will face Palmeiras in the quarterfinals. 

The clash between the English and the Brazilians will be next Friday (4th), at 10 p.m. (Brasília time), in Philadelphia.

In the semifinal, Chelsea or Palmeiras will face Inter Milan, Fluminense, Manchester City or Al-Hilal, in New Jersey, on July 8. 

The grand final of the FIFA Club World Cup is scheduled for July 13, again in New Jersey.

Eliminated from the World Cup, Benfica will return to the field on July 31, when they play the derby against Sporting in the Portuguese Super Cup. 

🧐 Rematch?

On February 12, 2022, Chelsea beat Palmeiras 2-1 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and won that year’s Club World Cup.

Lukaku and Havertz scored for the English side, while Raphael Veiga pulled one back for Verdão. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 FEDERICO PARRA – AFP or licensors

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