June 29, 2025: Chelsea defeats Benfica 4-1 in Club World Cup Round of 16 after 2-hour weather delay; Nkunku scores winning goal in extra time
Chelsea advanced to the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup with a thrilling 4-1 victory over Benfica on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at Bank of America Stadium. The match was delayed for two hours due to lightning, extending the game to nearly five hours in total.
Reece James opened the scoring for Chelsea with a free kick in the 64th minute. Benfica equalized late in stoppage time through Angel Di Maria’s penalty after a handball call against Chelsea. However, Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku scored the decisive goal in the 108th minute during extra time, capitalizing on a rebound after Benfica was reduced to ten men due to a red card for Gianluca Prestianni.
Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added late goals for Chelsea to secure the win. The victory sends Chelsea to face Palmeiras in the quarterfinals on July 4, who had beaten Botafogo 1-0 earlier the same day.
The match was marked by an empty stadium, with many fans leaving due to the lightning delay and safety concerns. Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca criticized FIFA’s decision to host the Club World Cup in the U.S., citing weather disruptions and extreme heat as major issues.
Quotes:
“For 85 minutes we were in control… to me that’s not football,” said Maresca, criticizing the match suspension. Benfica coach Bruno Lage noted, “In the first half our objective was to come forward although we were facing a very tough side.”
This fixture was one of the first knockout matches at the NFL Carolina Panthers’ home stadium and part of the expanded Club World Cup, seen as a precursor to the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.