Despite winning a five-goal thriller that stretched nearly five hours, Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca was visibly furious after the match.
How long can a football match lasting just over an hour really take? The battle between Chelsea and Benfica dragged on for almost five hours due to weather delays and dramatic late twists. A lengthy break caused by bad weather, extra time added after a nail-biting finish—everything combined to stretch the match far beyond normal limits. Although Chelsea secured a convincing 4-1 victory to reach the Club World Cup quarter-finals, Maresca was extremely frustrated.
In the round of 16 clash, Chelsea defeated Benfica 4-1 at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game, which ended Sunday morning Bangladesh time, went smoothly until around the 85th minute. Chelsea led 1-0 thanks to a brilliant free kick from Reece James in the 64th minute.
As the match neared its end, a severe storm brewed around the stadium. Lightning fears forced the referee to halt play just five minutes before the scheduled finish.
That pause turned into nearly a two-hour delay.
When the game resumed, Benfica’s Argentine winger Jan Luka Prestiani was sent off with a red card in the second added minute after 90 minutes. Despite being down to 10 men, Benfica fought hard. In the fifth added minute, Ángel Di María scored a penalty to equalize, sending the match into extra time.
No goals came in the first half of extra time, but Benfica’s resistance crumbled in the second half. Chelsea scored three goals to seal a big win.
When the referee finally blew the final whistle, the match had lasted 4 hours and 39 minutes.
This was the sixth match in the current Club World Cup to be interrupted due to storms and lightning fears. After the game, Maresca did not hold back his anger.
“Personally, I don’t think this is football. To me, it’s a joke. This can’t possibly be football. I understand safety concerns—that matches may be postponed. But six or seven matches postponed? That means this is not the right place for this competition!”
“This competition is fantastic. The Club World Cup features the world’s best teams. But six or seven matches postponed? That’s not normal. How many matches get postponed at a World Cup? Probably none. How many at the European Championship? None. So there is clearly a problem here.”
Despite his frustration, Maresca expressed relief at the result.
“I’m proud of the team’s performance. The match was going well until the 85th minute, then it was stopped for two hours. When we came back, it was a completely different game. The rhythm was gone after such a long break. Sitting in the locker room for so long isn’t easy. We kept fighting and finally got the result we deserved.”