Kenyan football fans had plenty to cheer about as Chelsea booked their ticket to the FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) quarter-finals with a stunning 4-1 extra-time victory over Portuguese giants Benfica. Despite late drama and a weather stoppage, the Blues emerged triumphant, setting up a mouth-watering clash against Brazilian side Palmeiras.
A Blazing Start in Charlotte
Chelsea wasted no time getting into gear at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. From the first whistle, they pushed forward relentlessly, with Pedro Neto testing Benfica’s keeper Anatolii Trubin inside the opening minute. Liam Delap was close to scoring moments later, only to be denied by António Silva’s crucial interception.
Marc Cucurella stood out as one of Chelsea’s brightest sparks. The Spaniard twice came agonizingly close to scoring in the first half, first forcing a goal-line header from Silva, then drawing a sensational save from Trubin. Despite Chelsea’s dominance, the first half ended 0-0.
Reece James Breaks the Deadlock
Chelsea’s pressure finally paid off in the 64th minute. Cole Palmer earned a free-kick on the left wing, and captain Reece James stepped up to thunder the ball past Trubin, sending Chelsea fans — including many following the match back in Kenya — into a frenzy.
Cucurella and Delap almost doubled the lead ten minutes later. Cucurella threaded a sublime pass to Delap, who rounded the keeper but was ruled offside, denying the young striker his second goal for the club.
Benfica’s Late Equaliser Sparks Drama
As the game looked to be winding down, disaster struck for Chelsea. With just five minutes remaining, the match was halted by a weather-enforced stoppage. Upon resumption, Benfica dramatically levelled the score. Veteran Argentine winger Ángel Di María coolly slotted home a penalty in the fifth minute of added time after Malo Gusto was judged to have handled the ball in the box.
The match headed into extra time, and Benfica’s hopes took a blow as Gianluca Prestianni was shown a red card, leaving the Portuguese side with ten men.
Nkunku Seals It in Extra Time
With penalties looming, Christopher Nkunku emerged as Chelsea’s saviour. A scrappy piece of goalkeeping from Trubin allowed Nkunku to bundle home from close range, restoring Chelsea’s lead.
Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added gloss to the scoreline with two late goals, ensuring a well-deserved 4-1 triumph for Enzo Maresca’s men.
What’s Next for Chelsea?
Chelsea’s win sets up an electrifying quarter-final encounter with Palmeiras, the Brazilian giants who also have a strong following among Kenyan football lovers. With Chelsea showing such resilience and firepower, fans in Kenya will be eagerly anticipating another thrilling performance.
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