Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
The Independent’s journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission.
Enzo Maresca’s men will hope to book their spot in the last eight
Chelsea and Benfica’s tussle for a quarter-final place at the Club World Cup has been hit by a long weather delay with just four minutes left to play in Charlotte.
The referee took the players from the field in the 86th minute with Chelsea seemingly set for the last eight thanks to Reece James’s fine free kick in the second half.
The expanded tournament has been beset with problems but the relative success of the South American sides has created some intriguing round of 16 encounters. Chelsea might have thought they were destined for a date with Bayern Munich when they suffered defeat to Flamengo but Benfica’s success against the Bundesliga winners instead meant they topped their group, setting up this clash in Charlotte.
Enzo Maresca would have been encouraged by how his weary squad bounced back from their loss, with Liam Delap on the scoresheet for the first time in a Chelsea shirt against ES Tunis. Benfica have plenty of experience within their ranks, including Angel Di Maria, who will return to boyhood club Rosario Central when the Portuguese side are knocked out of this tournament.
Follow all of the latest from the round of 16 clash with our live blog below. Watch every Fifa Club World Cup game free on DAZN. Sign up here now.
We are good to go – the action will be back underway in a couple of minutes.
Please, please, please no extra time, chaps.
Balls are being kicked around. Vague warm-up movements are being made. This looks promising…
Hurrah – we have bodies back on the pitch and cameras back in operation. Get on with the game!
“There’s no real update,” the DAZN reporter inside Bank of America Stadium says. Also not ideal.
There is a rainbow over Bank of America Stadium, though no players on the pitch. It’s not ideal.
There is, of course, the prospect of extra time and penalties still if Benfica were to find a late equaliser. A shuddering thought.
Suggestions that the players might be back out in the next 15 minutes or so if there is no further lightning. Though there will, of course, be a warm-up.
It’s now over an hour since the players were taken off. Communication has been scant.
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in