Benfica 1-4 Chelsea result - Extra-time drama sees Blues through to FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals after two-hour weather delay

Extra-time goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall booked Chelsea a place in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals.

Angel Di Maria’s penalty came after a two-hour weather delay to cancel out Reece James’ opener and send the game to extra-time.

However, Gianluca Prestianni was sent off for Benfica early in extra-time and Chelsea proved too strong.

Enzo Maresca’s side will face Brazilian outfit Palmeiras next Saturday for a place in the last four.

Chelsea were in a determined mood in their last-16 tie against a Benfica side who were unbeaten in the tournament coming into the tie.

Benfica invited pressure onto themselves and were almost punished on 20 minutes. Liam Delap’s cross was deflected back into the path of Marc Cucurella, whose effort was cleared off the goal line by defender Antonio Silva.

Benfica had goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin to thank for keeping them level at half-time after making two key saves from Palmer and Cucurella.

Just as Chelsea were becoming increasingly frustrated by the scoreline, the English side found a 64th-minute opener.

A clever free-kick from near the touchline saw James catch the goalkeeper napping as his effort flew inside the near post.

Chelsea were then made to wait for over two hours as ‘extreme weather’ in North Carolina resulted in the players being taken off with four minutes left on the clock.

Benfica threw everything forward. From a free-kick, VAR judged that substitute Malo Gusto had handled the ball and Di Maria’s penalty sent the game to extra-time.

The Portuguese side suffered a blow early in extra-time when Prestianni was sent-off following a second bookable offence and they were reduced to 10 men.

Chelsea continued to probe for a winner and deservedly got their second goal when Moises Caicedo’s shot was spilled by the goalkeeper and Nkunku was on hand to finish.

With Benfica throwing players forward, Chelsea hit them on the break with both Neto and Dewsbury-Hall breaking clear into their half and scoring late on.

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Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said that he is ‘very proud’ of his side after they progressed into the Club World Cup quarter-finals.

"I’m very proud very proud of the performance for me was top until 85 minutes then they stopped the game and the start was a completed different game," Maresca told DAZN.

"When you are inside more than one hour, it's not easy. At 1-1 we continue to play, and at the end, I think the reward has been the one that deserved.

"When it's 85 minutes and five minutes to go, it's very difficult. We tried to keep them in the best way we could in that moment. In the end, we are in the first eight teams here in this competition, and we are very happy."

Was the Benfica penalty deserved? "The problem is that there was no foul (resulting in the set-piece before the penalty). That is no free kick. Sometimes it's better if you don't say what you think about referee.

"I think overall today, we deserve to win the game and better talk about the team and not about referee."

Chelsea have had a very strange route into Club World Cup quarter-finals.

Following a two-hour delay and Di Maria’s penalty, the odds looked to be against the English side.

However, an emphatic extra-time display and three goals put them into a quarter-final tie against Palmeiras next Saturday for a place in the last four.

That’s full-time and Chelsea are into the quarter-final.

Gouveia is booked in the last moments of the game.

Anselmino comes on for Colwill for the last few moments.

Chelsea break quickly as Palmer picks out the run of substitute Dewsbury-Hall who runs in on goal and dinks the ball over the goalkeeper.

That is game, set and match. Neto is set away just inside the Benfica half and charged at goal before beating the goalkeeper.

Chelsea have been given their warning after Benfica’s late penalty sent this to extra-time. The English side are trying to keep the ball in the final moments.

Palmer drives forward before finding Caicedo who sees his effort saved by the goalkeeper. However, the ball sneaks under the goalkeeper and despite seeing his first effort blocked Nkunku fires home at the second time of asking.

Chelsea feel they deserve a penalty as Nkunku goes down after trying to connect with Netto’s cross but getting tangled. No penalty.

A very quick turnaround and we are back underway for the second half of extra-time.

That’s half-time in extra-time as these game remains finely balanced and could well go to penalties.

A Chelsea corner is played around the box before Cucurella finds Palmer who is denied by goalkeeper Trubin. Benfica break but Di Maria sees his effort denied by Sanchez.

Colwill arrives late and heavily into the challenge and is shown yellow by the referee.

Benfica come forward with purpose again and Di Maria is released before cutting the ball inside towards Belotti. However, the Chelsea defence put their bodies on the line and block the cross

Benfica break quickly and the ball is played into the path of Akturkoglu. However, his strike is easily saved by the Chelsea goalkeeper.

A second bookable offence for Prestianni as Benfica are reduced to 10 men. Palmer is also booked for needlessly pushing the Benfica man.

We are back underway for 30 minutes of extra-time.

The game is going into extra-time as a late penalty has given Benfica a route back into this game. Unbelievable scenes from a game which started at 21:00GMT