Congratulations to Chelsea Football Club for making history! Their heroic display had seen them become the first ever English side to progress to the quarter finals of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. They did book their spot with a gritty 1-0 win against Benfica at Lincoln Financial Field. The entire spectacle, both wonderful and trying, was a true testament to Chelsea’s grit and gumption on a dark and stormy evening.
In the 64th minute, everything turned upside down. Reece James scored a wonderful free kick from a very narrow angle on the left wing, giving Chelsea the lead. The goal ignited a wave of excitement among the 33,657 fans in attendance, who created an electrifying atmosphere reminiscent of a South American clash. Chelsea was in the driver’s seat the whole game, controlling possession and creating countless chances on goal.
A Match Full of Action
It was a ferocious heavyweight tussle between two teams at the very top of the game, Chelsea showing their attacking might. Marc Cucurella missed a golden chance in the first half. At the other end, Cole Palmer had the Benfica defence in panic stations and forcing an exceptional stop from their Ukrainian goalkeeper Anotoliy Trubin. With a total of 35 shot attempts combined, it was clear that both teams were playing aggressively and shooting often.
All of that attacking football was halted as the threat of severe weather caused a surprising and disruptive delay to the match. A lightning storm forced officials to halt play with only four minutes left in the match. According to common public safety protocols in the U.S., outdoor sporting events must be paused for at least 30 minutes when lightning is detected or thunder is heard. The nearly two-hour delay only heightened the stress on the field, with the teams eventually returning to play.
“Coach has been saying this since the start of the season that we have a dream and dreaming costs nothing,” – Bruno Fuchs
Battling inauspicious weather conditions, including oppressive heat which only added to the tempestuous climate, both teams took to the pitch for the third time. As play resumed, Chelsea’s resolve was evident. Goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall ensured that Chelsea sealed their advantage in extra time, demonstrating their depth and skill.
Benfica’s Struggles
Yet Benfica faced a number of obstacles throughout the game. Then in the 116th minute, they were forced to play a man down after losing Gomez to a second yellow card for a tackle on Igor Jesus in midfield. That mistake would come back to haunt hard as Chelsea took advantage of that man up situation.
In one of the few moments of reprieve for Benfica, Ángel Di María nonchalantly slotted home a free kick after Gomez’s second yellow card. Chelsea never relinquished their advantage in the match. Though they netted a late consolation goal, it was too little, too late to change the result.
“We follow that dream, one game after another. Always thinking about the present, about the next game… We’re very happy, we’re pleased to have qualified, and as I said, we have to keep dreaming.” – Bruno Fuchs
Looking Ahead
Beyond making history with this stunning victory, Chelsea set themselves up as serious contenders in the tournament. The team’s performance against Benfica was indicative of their talent and desire to achieve even more success on the international stage.
