Chelsea Survive Weather-Delayed Chaos to Clinch Club World Cup Quarterfinal Berth

CHARLOTTE -- In a season already marked by its seemingly endless nature, Chelsea's Club World Cup match against Benfica took absurdity to new heights. The game, ultimately a 4-1 victory for the Blues, stretched four hours and 38 minutes from start to finish, testing the patience and endurance of players and fans alike.

The win secured a quarterfinal berth against Palmeiras next Friday, thanks to extra-time goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. However, the victory was far from straightforward, leaving Chelsea with a desperate need for the six-day recovery period ahead.

What initially appeared to be a hard-fought, albeit uninspired, victory secured by Reece James' 64th-minute free kick, soon devolved into a prolonged saga.

Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic halted the match with just four minutes remaining in regulation due to a severe weather warning. Players retreated to the locker room, and fans sought shelter within the Bank of America Stadium as a storm descended upon North Carolina.

Repeated delays pushed back the proposed resumption time. Chelsea players attempted to stay active on stationary bikes within the locker room. Eventually, a rainbow emerged, but with the threat of another storm looming, both teams agreed to a shortened warm-up in a desperate attempt to conclude the match before lightning struck again.

The drama was far from over. A handball decision against Malo Gusto, deemed unintentional but penalized due to the ball hitting his hand in an "unnatural position", handed Benfica a lifeline.

Ángel Di María converted the resulting penalty in the fifth minute of added time, leveling the score and sending many of the 25,929 spectators home.

Those who left missed a dramatic encore. Gianluca Prestianni's second yellow card early in extra time gave Chelsea a numerical advantage that they quickly exploited. Cole Palmer found Moisés Caicedo in the box, whose shot was saved by Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. However, Nkunku reacted quickest to the loose ball, firing it into the net.

Benfica's resistance crumbled, and Chelsea capitalized with two counterattack goals. Neto scored his third goal in four games, followed by a clever finish from Dewsbury-Hall.

Despite the victory, Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca expressed his frustration with the conditions, stating, "For 85 minutes we were in control of the game... And then after the break, the game changed completely. I think for me personally it's not football." He highlighted the numerous weather-related suspensions at the Club World Cup, questioning the suitability of the location.

Maresca acknowledged the prestige of the competition and his team's happiness in reaching the last eight but emphasized that suspending six or seven games was not normal.

The match also raised concerns about the tournament in general. Attendance was low, and the pitch conditions were unusual. While acknowledging the importance of supporter safety, Maresca questioned the logic of asking players to wait almost two hours to play only a few minutes.

He suggested the need for a time limit rule in such situations. He noted that Charlotte, despite hosting the match, is not among the host cities for next year's FIFA World Cup, and only five of the stadiums have roofs.

Maresca reiterated that the lengthy delay disrupted the game's tempo. "So two hours inside; people speak with the family outside, if they were good, the security. People eating, people laughing, people talking on the mobile. It's two hours. That's why I said it's not football."

As Chelsea rushed to catch their flight back to Miami, Maresca now faces the challenge of preparing his team for their upcoming match against Palmeiras. Caicedo will be suspended, and questions remain regarding the lineup, including Palmer's role on the left, the midfield composition of Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, and Enzo Fernández, and whether Liam Delap has secured his place ahead of the returning Nicolas Jackson.

Following this chaotic encounter, Chelsea desperately needs a period of calm and focused preparation.