Premier League’s Chelsea scored three times in the second period of extra-time to hand 10-man Benfica a 4-1 defeat at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte in their weather-affected last 16 Club World Cup clash on Saturday as the English side set up a quarter-final meeting with Brazil’s Palmeiras.
Following a goalless first half, Enzo Maresca’s side found the breakthrough through captain Reece James with a well-struck free-kick in the 64th minute and looked set for victory in the closing stages when Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni was sent off two minutes into injury time.
ALSO READ: Palmeiras Edge Botafogo to Win Brazilian Clash at Club World Cup
But in a twist to the plot of the match, Malo Gusto conceded a penalty moments later following a handball in the area, with former Manchester United man, Angel di Maria, maintaining his composure to beat Roberto Sanchez from 12 yards and force extra-time.
The man advantage would tell in extra-time, though, as Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored in a nine-minute spell in the second period of extra-time to seal passage into the last eight for the Conference League holders.
Next up for the Londoners is a quarter-final date against Brazil’s Palmeiras, in a match that will see Estevao come up against his future employers for a place in the last four.