Chelsea’s route to the Club World Cup quarterfinals was anything but straightforward, settled over 120 minutes of football and nearly five hours on the clock.
The Blues beat Benfica 4-1 after extra time in Charlotte on Saturday, a result that seemed anything but likely when the game was halted for a weather delay with Chelsea leading 1-0 in the 87th minute.
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Angel Di Maria scored a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time to equalize after Reece James’ slick free kick had the Blues ahead for much of the second half.
Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored in extra time, all the goals coming after Gianluca Prestianni was shown a second yellow card in the 92nd minute.
Benfica vs Chelsea player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Moises Caicedo piled up 144 touches and completed 116-of-128 passes in the win, sending 20 passes into the final third and registering an assist. Marc Cucurella led the game with four created chances. Cole Palmer took a game-high six shot attempts.
Benfica vs Chelsea player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Benfica vs Chelsea player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Chelsea will face Brazil’s Palmeiras in the quarterfinals on July 4 in Philadelphia.
How to watch Benfica vs Chelsea live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 4pm ET Saturday (June 28)
Venue: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
TV Channel/Streaming: Stream every game live on DAZN, for free
Benfica vs Chelsea live updates — by Nick Mendola
Benfica vs Chelsea final score: 1-4
Goal scorers: Reece James 63', Angel Di Maria pen 90+5', Christopher Nkunku 108', Pedro Neto 115', Kieran Dewsbury-Hall 117'
Red card: Gianluca Prestianni 92'
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall goal — Benfica 1-4 Chelsea
Robert Sanchez tries to get a quick counterattack going but his punt is very high.
Nkunku does well to bring it down and give it to Cole Palmer, who sends Kieran Dewsbury-Hall to goal with a sweet through ball.
The finish is clean. 4-1.
KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL LADIES AND GENTLEMEN 👏👏
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 29, 2025
BENFICA 1-4 CHELSEA
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Pedro Neto goal — Benfica 1-3 Chelsea
That should do it.
Moises Caicedo sends Neto down the right side, and Neto gives the keeper pause with a look toward Cole Palmer before a snapped finish inside the far post.
CHELSEA HAVE THREE!!! ⚽⚽⚽
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 29, 2025
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 - July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #SLBCHE pic.twitter.com/iouqSjz8Zr
Christopher Nkunku goal — Benfica 1-2 Chelsea
Trubin makes a save but the ball squirts underneath him and toward the back post.
Nicolas Otamendi blocks Nkunku’s first chop at the rebound, but the Frenchman recovers to snap the ball into the top of the goal from two yards out.
NKUNKU GIVES CHELSEA THEIR SECOND!!!! 🤯
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 29, 2025
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 - July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #SLBCHE pic.twitter.com/mYVxLQQfKR
End of first extra time period — Benfica 1-1 Chelsea
Nothing to separate them quite yet.
Red card
Just two minutes into the first period of extra time, and Gianluca Prestianni has been shown a second yellow card.
Chelsea must take advantage of playing up a man the rest of the way. Will Benfica close up shop and hope for pens?
Penalty video — any questions?
Nicolas Otamendi’s header glances off the outreached trailing arm of a leaping Malo Gusto.
Fair penalty?
Looking back at the VAR decision that gave Benfica the opportunity to level 😱
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 29, 2025
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 - July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #SLBCHE pic.twitter.com/u7G3Ffvdxk
Angel Di Maria goal — Benfica 1-1 Chelsea
Of course.
The two-hour weather delay is over, and Benfica have won a penalty after a VAR review spotted a handball in the box by Malo Gusto.
Angel Di Maria buries his penalty and we’ll now need extra time.
Incredible.
Weather break!
There are few times as weird for a weather break than this.
Chelsea and Benfica have to leave the field in the 87th minute, just as the Blues were hoping to hold out for a 1-0 win.
Reece James goal (video) — Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
Absolutely brilliant stuff from the captain.
Reece James sweeps an acute-angled free kick inside the near post, sending Ukraine keeper Antoliy Trubin into the side netting after the ball dip over the line.
REECE JAMES!!! 🔥
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 28, 2025
Chelsea have their first goal of the afternoon ⚽
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Halftime — Benfica 0-0 Chelsea
Silva blocks another shot before the break, leading to a corner but no opener.
Blues await breakthrough
Sixty percent possession and a 5-1 shot attempts edge have yet to produce a goal.
Incredible goal line clearance
Liam Delap had a huge chance but it was blocked onto the path of Marc Cucurella.
The Spaniard walked around one Benfica back and looked to have sent a shot into the upper 90 only for Antonio Silva to make a terrific play on the line.
Benfica lineup
Trubin, Antonio, Otamendi, Aursnes, Florentino, Schjelderup, Dahl, Barreiro, Di Maria, Kokcu, Pavlidis
Chelsea lineup
Sanchez, James, Badiashile, Colwill, Cucurella, Lavia, Caicedo, Fernandez, Palmer, Neto, Delap.
Benfica vs Chelsea preview — by Joe Prince-Wright
Enzo Maresca’s side recovered well after their group stage defeat to Flamengo and Liam Delap has staked his claim to be the starter up top after he scored his first Chelsea goal in the 3-0 win against ES Tunis. The Blues haven’t quite been at their free-flowing best but now it’s time to crank things up a few notches and Maresca will hope the stars he rested in their final group stage game will be raring to go.
Benfica beat Bayern Munich in their final group stage game to win Group C ahead of the German giants and the Portuguese powerhouse have impressed so far. They smashed Auckland City 6-0 and fought back from 2-0 down to draw against Boca Juniors as they’ve faced some tough tests so far in this competition. Benfica should not be underestimated.
The winners of this game will face either Palmeiras or Botafogo in the quarterfinals and are on the same side of the bracket as Inter Milan and Manchester City.
Benfica team news, focus
Benfica have a lovely blend of youth and experience with Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi playing key roles. They also have a host of talented young players such as Orkun Kokcu and Andreas Schjelderup, while Renato Sanches can pull the strings in midfield. Vangelis Pavlidis is a real threat up top and Benfica will punish any defensive mistakes from Chelsea.
Chelsea team news, focus
It’s now pretty clear what Enzo Maresca’s first-choice team is, but does he know it? It will be intriguing to see if Reece James starts at right back or midfield, or if Moises Caicedo gets the nod at right back. If Caicedo starts at right back then we can expect Romeo Lavia to start in midfield with Enzo Fernandez. Delap will start in attack with Nicolas Jackson still out suspended after his red card against Flamengo. Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke are all pushing to start underneath Delap and that is what should happen. Let’s see if Maresca has other ideas...
Benfica vs Chelsea prediction
This feels like the moment Chelsea need to kick on and their big players will step up. Benfica 1-3 Chelsea.
