Chelsea vs Benfica live: Result and reaction as Blues progress after extra time drama and long weather delay

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca called the two-hour weather delay that disrupted his team’s Club World Cup win over Benfica as a “joke” and “not football”.

The Blues eventually defeated Benfica 4-1 in extra-time to reach the quarter-finals but the match took four hours and 39 minutes to complete after a storm warming in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Chelsea were leading 1-0 when players were asked to leave the pitch. Both teams were taken back inside and were pictured riding exercise bikes and kicking balls in the dressing room during the interruption.

Defeat in Charlotte means Angel Di Maria’s Benfica career is at an end - he’s off to boyhood club Rosario Central. So near but so far for the veteran Argentine, who snatched late hope for his side with an ice-cool penalty in stoppage time. It was, however, not to be.

Phew. After the best part of five hours, a very strange game of football is at last at an end, with Chelsea progressing past Benfica and into the Club World Cup quarter-finals. A long weather delay, a controversial penalty, a sending off, and a fair bit of extra-time drama - that really livened up after some rather more dour stuff earlier on.

It’ll be Palmeiras in Philadelphia next for Enzo Maresca’s men, who will surely be focussed on recovery over the next couple of days.

One more minute...

A Chelsea debut for Aaron Anselmino, stepping in for Levi Colwill for these final few skirmishes.

Another! Benfica’s spirit is snapped, and there just aren’t the bodies back when Robert Sanchez launches a kick long having claimed the latest cross. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall holds off Nicolas Otamendi, about the only one bothering to put in the effort to try to get back, and deftly dinks over Anatoliy Trubin to extend Chelsea’s advantage.

That will do it! Chelsea have a third through Pedro Neto and are surely bound for the quarter-finals.

Another turnover in the centre circle leaves Nicolas Otamendi hopelessly exposed as Chelsea’s forwards pour into the Benfica half. Pedro Neto has too much gas for the veteran defender, and shows a cool head to finish past the onrushing keeper to score for the third successive game.

Benfica won’t go away. Joao Veloso burns by Marc Cucurella and forces Tosin Adarabioyo to concede a corner.

Robert Sanchez comes confidently to claim.

Now Chelsea just have to keep the ball for 10 minutes against 10 men. Can they succeed, though, in closing this out after failing to do so earlier?