Benfica 1–4 Chelsea: Blues Dominate Extra Time After Lightning Delay to Reach Club World Cup Quarters

Chelsea booked their place in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals with a commanding 4–1 extra-time victory over Benfica on Saturday, June 28, in a match filled with late drama and an unusual weather delay.

The game at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte was halted for nearly two hours due to a lightning storm, with fans evacuated and players forced to wait in the dressing rooms during stoppage time.

When play resumed, Reece James gave Chelsea the lead in the 64th minute with a stunning free-kick. Just when it seemed the Blues had done enough, Ángel Di María converted a stoppage-time penalty for Benfica after a handball by Malo Gusto, sending the match into extra time.

Early in the added period, Benfica were reduced to 10 men when Gianluca Prestianni received a second yellow card—a moment that shifted the momentum firmly in Chelsea’s favor.

From there, the Premier League side took full control:

Christopher Nkunku restored the lead in the 108th minute, Pedro Neto added a third in the 114th, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sealed the win in the 117th.

Chelsea’s quality in depth made the difference, as all three goal-scorers came off the bench to deliver a clinical extra-time performance.

The result sets up a quarter-final clash with Palmeiras on July 4 in Philadelphia, in a rematch of the 2021 Club World Cup final. Benfica exit the competition after a spirited showing but were undone by fatigue and a costly red card.