Chelsea Triumph Over Benfica Amid Storm Chaos in Club World Cup Classic
This year’s FIFA Club World Cup has been anything but routine, and Chelsea’s 4-1 victory over Benfica in Charlotte served up drama, delays, and moments of brilliance that might leave fans talking until next year’s final. The scene: North Carolina’s Bank of America Stadium, where a severe thunderstorm turned the last-16 clash into a four hour, 39-minute marathon. But it was Chelsea who pulled through, showing toughness that’s been missing in some of their previous encounters.
The match barely had a chance to settle before Mother Nature intervened. With just one goal separating the two sides—an early beauty from Reece James, who curled a free kick into the top corner—the stadium lights flickered, and a two-hour storm delay fell over the pitch. Supporters scrambled for cover while players returned to their locker rooms, forced to refocus mid-game. The Club World Cup's organizers, already criticized for this year’s expanded format, faced another headache: this was now the sixth match hit by storms in the tournament. The weather in the American South has not been kind to world football’s new look.
When play finally resumed, Chelsea held the slender lead, but Benfica refused to bow out quietly. The Portuguese side pushed forward, hoping to catch their English opponents off guard. The breakthrough finally came in the 86th minute—Nicolas Otamendi knocked a header down in the box, Malo Gusto’s outstretched arm caught the ball, and the referee pointed to the spot. Di Maria had watched much of the match from the sidelines, but it was Benfica’s regular penalty taker who coolly slotted home, sending the Benfica fans into rapture and dragging the match into extra time.
Extra time can be cruel, and this one certainly was for Benfica. The turning point? A harsh red card against Benfica deep in the first period saw them go down to 10, a blow they never recovered from. Chelsea came alive when the spaces opened up. Chelsea piled on the pressure, and it paid off fast—Reece James, energised by his earlier goal, smashed in a second to restore Chelsea’s lead. Just minutes later, Armando Broja linked up with a slick passing move and fired in a third, with Benfica’s legs looking as heavy as the humid North Carolina air. By the final whistle, Chelsea had made it four with one more goal from their bench, sealing the club’s first ever knockout-stage win in the global tournament. Broja’s late strike capped a performance that was as much about grit as it was about flair.
Resilience, Key Players, and Tournament Woes
Enzo Maresca’s squad was under the microscope heading into this tie, after a rollercoaster group stage. Stars like Liam Delap, who had provided a spark earlier in the competition, never even saw the pitch, as the manager gambled on experience and defensive steel. Across from them, Angel Di Maria, one of Benfica’s most talented attackers, could only watch much of the drama unfold from the bench. Those choices became footnotes, though, as Chelsea players adapted to disruptions that would have rattled even the most seasoned teams.
The Club World Cup’s new format—a broader field, bigger venues, and games slotted into a congested calendar—has come with headaches. Six games now with lightning or storms halting play; organizers scrambling to reassure clubs and fans that America is ready for this level of football spectacle. Thursday’s clash between Chelsea and Benfica only underlined those challenges, with play that started in daylight and finished long after most fans’ bedtimes.
For Chelsea, though, the fact that they survived every setback will be the big takeaway. They’ll head into the quarters knowing that a little weather—and a lot of chaos—can’t knock them off course. Benfica exit frustrated, but few could argue their resilience under pressure. As Club World Cup stories go, this might just be the wildest of the lot so far.
