Chelsea Advance Club World Cup Quarter-Finals After Two-Hour Weather Delay

Chelsea overcame a nearly two-hour weather delay to defeat Benfica 4-1 after extra time in the FIFA Club World Cup last 16 match at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium. Despite leading 1-0 with just minutes remaining thanks to Reece James' free-kick, the game was suspended due to severe weather, disrupting the flow for almost two hours. Upon resumption, Benfica equalized via a controversial VAR-awarded penalty converted by Angel Di Maria, sending the match into extra time. Benfica then lost a player to a second yellow card, and Chelsea scored three goals in extra time through Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to secure the victory. The match lasted over four and a half hours, highlighting the impact of weather on the tournament and raising concerns ahead of the next international World Cup. Chelsea will face Palmeiras in the quarter-finals and earned approximately $13.7 million in prize money from the win.