Chelsea are through to the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals after defeating Benfica 4-1 in an extraordinary match lasting over four and a half hours in Charlotte.
Marc Cucurella was twice denied in the first half as the Blues piled on pressure, but Benfica’s keeper Anatolii Trubin kept the scores level until Reece James fired in a free-kick on 64 minutes.
The drama escalated when Ángel Di María equalised from the spot deep into stoppage time after a Malo Gusto handball, sending the tie to extra time.
Benfica were then reduced to ten men when Gianluca Prestianni saw red, and Chelsea seized control.
Christopher Nkunku bundled home the go-ahead goal after a goalkeeping scramble, before Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall struck late to seal the win.
Enzo Maresca’s side now face Palmeiras in the last eight.
See also:
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