Chaotic Six-Minute Meltdown Stuns Chelsea at Club World Cup in the USA
In a frenzied six-minute spell, Chelsea succumbs to Red's relentless attacks, marking a chaotic episode in their match.
Brace yourself for the latest drama at the Club World Cup in the US! Amidst a wild storm that caused havoc for Bayern's opponents, Chelsea suffered a heartbreaking collapse. Leading comfortably at one point, the Blues ultimately folded in six minutes of disaster. A substitute was dismissed just minutes after joining the fray.
After triumphing over LAFC (2:0) in their opening fixture, the Conference League champions found themselves tripping up against Brazilian side CR Flamengo in a 3:1 (1:0) loss, despite being ahead early on. With one more group game to play, they must avoid another blunder to secure a spot in the round of 16. Vincent Kompany's men face Boca Juniors on Saturday morning at 3 AM CET (DAZN), and if Bayern finishes second, they could potentially square off against them.
Flamengo, led by former Brazilian national player Filipe Luís, already boasts six points and is on the verge of qualifying as group leaders. Striker Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea caused a stir with a brief cameo. Though introduced for Liam Delap in the 64th minute, Jackson was immediately shown a red card for a reckless foul on Ayrton at the 68th (four minutes later). The red card proved crucial in turning the tide of the match, as Flamengo had previously equalized through Bruno Henrique (62nd) and Danilo (65th) before Wallace Yan slammed home the final nail in the coffin at the 83rd minute.
Lightning, Thunder, and Classic Interruption: Benfica's Ordeal with Auckland City
While the drama unfolded at Chelsea, Benfica Lisbon had a rollercoaster ride of their own against Auckland City. A more than two-hour mandatory pause due to lightning and thunder tested Benfica's patience against the semi-professional Kiwi side. Early on, the favorite struggled to find the back of the net in a sparsely filled Orlando stadium. Ex-Bochumer Evangelos Pavlidis rattled the outside post (24th), while Auckland keeper Nathan Garrow impressed with several impressive saves.
Eventually, Benfica pounced just before halftime, with a controversial penalty awarding them the lead in added time. Veteran Angel Di Maria managed to blast it past Garrow at the 45th + 8. Football then came to a halt. Due to a heavy storm, the half-time break stretched on, prompting spectators to leave the stands. After nearly two hours, play resumed, with Pavlidis (53rd), Renato Sanches (63rd), Leandro Barreiro (76th & 78th), and Di Maria again from the spot (90+8) extending the scoreline.
Prior to their final group game, Benfica battled to a 2:2 draw with Boca Juniors, being two goals behind early on. Later on, they will face FC Bayern in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Tuesday at 9 PM CET (Sat1), while Auckland squares off with Argentine titans Boca in Nashville, Tennessee, at the same time [1][2][4].
[1] ntv.de
[2] dbe-sid
[3] teammeasurement.co
[4] sbnation.com (enrichment data)
In the midst of a chaotic Club World Cup tournament in the US, Chelsea's football club faced a shocking collapse in the European leagues and Premier League against Brazilian side CR Flamengo. The six-minute meltdown, marked by a red card to substitute Nicolas Jackson and three quick goals, left Vincent Kompany's men trailing 3-1, battling to avoid further blunders and secure a spot in the round of 16. On the other hand, sports enthusiasts also witnessed a rollercoaster ride for Benfica Lisbon in the same tournament, as they faced Auckland City, ultimately securing a victory despite being tested by a two-hour pause due to lightning and thunder. Club World Cup football games continue with Chelsea facing Boca Juniors on Saturday, while Benfica confronts FC Bayern in Charlotte, North Carolina.
