Chelsea reaches Club World Cup quarterfinals with extra-time win over Benfica after weather delay
CHARLOTTE, N.C.— Christopher Nkunku scored off a rebound in extra time and Chelsea went on to beat Benfica 4-1 in a Club World Cup Round of 16 match Saturday at Bank of America Stadium that was delayed for two hours due to lightning and took nearly five hours to complete.Chelsea advances to play Palmeiras in the quarterfinals Friday in Philadelphia.
Palmeiras beat Botafogo 1-0 on Saturday.Nkunku’s tiebreaking goal came in the 108th minute with Benfica playing a man down after Gianluca Prestianni received a red card.Moisés Caicedo’s left-footed shot from the left side of the box was saved in the center of the goal by Anatolii Trubin, but an alert Nkunku was there to bury the deflection into the top right corner before being mobbed by teammates.Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added insurance goals in extra time for the final margin.Reece James scored on a free kick in the 64th minute to give Chelsea a 1-0 lead.But with four minutes left, the match was stopped because of lightning and delayed for two hours.
When the teams returned, Chelsea was called for a handball in stoppage time when the ball hit Malo Gusto’s hand.“For 85 minutes we were in control.After the break, the match changed.
It’s not the same game,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca.“You suspend a game (for two hours), to me that’s not football.
I struggle to understand it.… We have been here two weeks and they have suspended six or seven games, so something is not working here.”Angel Di Maria converted the penalty to even the match.No matter where you are in the world, you can watch the FIFA Club World Cup for free on DAZN.
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