Pedro Neto emerged as one of Chelsea’s standout performers in their 4-1 Club World Cup triumph over Benfica, earning special praise from opposition boss Bruno Lage.
The match, played at Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina, was marred by severe weather disruptions. Chelsea took the lead through a stunning free-kick by Reece James in the 64th minute, but lightning in the area forced a suspension of play. After a delay of nearly two hours, play resumed, and Angel Di Maria’s penalty brought Benfica level in stoppage time.
The Portuguese side appeared to have momentum despite being reduced to 10 men following Gianluca Prestianni’s red card. However, Chelsea shifted gears in extra time, with Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scoring to seal the win.
Benfica manager Lage remained proud of his team’s performance, praising their belief and ability to push the match into extra time despite the numerical disadvantage. He acknowledged Chelsea’s quality and highlighted Pedro Neto as a key threat.
“Pedro Neto was very strong one-on-one,” Lage said. “We played our game. The players brought energy and grew as the match progressed.”
Lage noted that Benfica created several chances early in extra time, but the sending-off proved too costly.
“More than 30 minutes with ten men is difficult. We had four good transitions to score before it went 2-1, but after that, the game was over.”
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca voiced his frustration over the lengthy suspension, labeling the situation a “joke” and questioning the venue’s suitability for such a prestigious competition.
“You cannot keep players inside for two hours. In a World Cup or in Europe, how many games are suspended? Probably none,” Maresca stated.
Despite his anger at the interruption, Maresca praised his side’s progression and expressed enthusiasm for the tournament, as Chelsea now head to Philadelphia to face Palmeiras in the quarter-finals.