Benfica on the verge of FIFA Club World Cup defeat against Chelsea | OneFootball

Benfica 0-1 Chelsea (match interrupted on 85’ due to adverse weather conditions)

A goal by Reece James direct from a free kick in the 64th minute looks likely to end Benfica’s participation in the FIFA Club World Cup. With five minutes remaining, the match was interrupted owing to an incoming storm over the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Chelsea were good value for their lead with an inoffensive Benfica unable to trouble the English team and the Portuguese side were only kept in the game thanks to a miraculous goal-line headed clearance by António Silva and some outstanding goalkeeping by Anatoliy Trubin.

Ironically, it was a mistake from the Ukrainian stopper that led to Chelsea’s goal, Reece James showing intelligence and perfect execution to whip a free kick inside the near post when everyone – especially Trubin – was expecting a cross.

Unless the Portuguese side can pull off some late drama, it will be a disappointingly meek end to what had been a positive campaign in the new competition for the Eagles.

When the match was interrupted Benfica had managed one effort on goal and won zero corners, while Chelsea had peppered Benfica’s net with 9 attempts (6 on target) and had earned eight corners, the English side dominating possession 60%-40%.

Lage makes two changes

In relation to the team that beat Bayern Munich earlier in the week, Benfica boss Bruno Lage recalled Orkun Kökçü to the starting lineup after their high-profile touchline spat in the game against Auckland City, the Turk replacing Prestianni. Leandro Barreiro and Florentino Luís (in for the injured Renato Sanches) were at the base of midfield in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Chelsea threatened in the very first minute, the lively Pedro Neto wriggling past Samuel Dahl and shooting from a tight angle but Trubin saved. It was all Chelsea, the London side getting plenty of joy down the left flank with Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer making life difficult for Fredrik Aursnes, with Ángel Di María offering no defensive support to the adapted right-back.

The Cole and Cucurella show

Cucurella looked certain to score in the 19th minute, the Spaniard given far too much space again but his shot was headed off the goal-line by centre-back António Silva. Moments later Cole Palmer got past Aursnes and fired in an effort from a narrow angle, bringing a sharp save out to Trubin.

Trubin made an even better save later in the half, showing a strong arm to deny Cucurella again when the defender was through one-on-one. It was one-way traffic as an aggressive Chelsea team dominated at will, Benfica’s front four of Kökçü, Di María, Schjelderup and Pavlidis unable to have any effect on the game.

At half time Lage took off Schjelderup and brought on Aktürkoglu but the pattern of the game did not change, and it was no surprise when Chelsea took the lead. Florentino gave away a free kick wide on the left, Palmer and James stood over the ball and it was the Chelsea captain who took responsibility and duly put the EPL team ahead, with Trubin shaking his head in disbelief as he realised his mistake of leaving too big a gap at his near post had proven fatal.

Benfica change tack

Forced to come out of their shell, Benfica at last fashioned a good move, Aursnes going on an enterprising run and rolling the ball into the path of substitute Gianluca Prestianni, but the young Argentinian got his shot from a highly promising position all wrong and the ball dribbled harmlessly wide.

With five minutes to go and an increasingly desperate Benfica throwing more and more players forward the storm clouds gathered above the stadium and as has frequently happened this tournament, the match was interrupted in accordance with US law that forbids public events in a thunderstorm.

Chelsea: Robert Sánchez, Reece James (Malo Gusto, 80’), Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile (Tosin Adarabioyo, 70’), Marc Cucurella, Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández (Dewsbury-Hall, 80’), Roméo Lavia, Cole Palmer, Liam Delap (Christopher Nkunku, 80’), Pedro Neto