Chelsea continues to march on in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 tournament following a win over Benfica in the last 16. That victory gave the Blues a ticket to the quarter-finals, in which they will battle Palmeiras.
Chelsea Beat Benfica to Advance in the FIFA Club World Cup
The Blues’ Club World Cup adventure is still going strong as they advance into the quarter-finals stage following a thrilling last 16 victory. Enzo Maresca’s side put on a solid display but had to battle until extra time after drawing 1-1 during normal time.
Chelsea got in front through Reece James’s effort on 64 minutes, but Benfica equalised late in the game with Angel Di Maria’s penalty kick. However, the Blues continue their domination during the 2×15 as they netted three more goals through Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsburry-Hall.
Benfica’s effort to force the game into extra time ultimately proved useless, but the result was not a surprise. The Portuguese outfit had to end the match with 10 men and play the whole extra time with a man short.
The Blues to Challenge Palmeiras in the Quarter Finals
Aside from the thrilling finish, Chelsea’s match against Benfica was also full of drama, as it was postponed for about two hours due to weather problems. That delay infuriates the Blues’ boss, Maresca, who questioned the US’s credibility in holding such a tournament.
Nevertheless, the coach is certainly happy knowing that his team will still be competing in the tournament. The North London side will be battling against Brazilian representative Palmeiras for a ticket in the semifinals.
Palmeiras advanced into the quarter-finals after beating their fellow Brazilian club, Botafogo, in their last 16 fixture. That game also went to extra time, and during those 2×15 minutes, Verdao came out victorious thanks to Paulinho’s goal.
