Moises Caicedo admitted he had never experienced anything like the two-hour weather delay against Benfica but was pleased with the way Chelsea's players responded and has already turned his focus to Palmeiras.
Chelsea were completely dominant during the opening 85 minutes of our Club World Cup round of 16 clash with Benfica and it looked as though Reece James' clever free-kick would book our progression with minimal fuss.
However, a weather delay of almost two hours changed the dynamics of the match and Benfica equalised during injury-time courtesy of a controversial Angel Di Maria penalty.
The Blues restored their dominance in extra-time though, with the help of Gianluca Prestianni's red card, and further goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall guaranteed our spot in the final eight.
Caicedo, who was awarded the competition's man of the match award, said: ‘The break did [change the game] because the match was almost finished and then we had to stop. That isn’t normal. The team stayed focused and we were able to get the win.
‘For sure it was the first time I have experienced this – and for sure for the other players also. We tried to stayed focused, even in the dressing room, and that’s why I think we won the game.’
Palmeiras also booked their place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Botafogo and we will now face the Brazilian side for a place in the last four when we face each other on Friday night US time and 2am Saturday morning in the UK.
It was Palmeiras we beat in the Club World Cup final three years ago and Caicedo, who will miss the game due to suspension, is hoping for a repeat result when we travel back to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
He said: 'We know it’s a tough tournament but we just need to keep working hard and working well. At the end, we will see [what we can achieve].’
He continued: ‘For sure it will be a tough game but the team is going to work hard because it’s going to be an important game for us.
'It’s going to be tough, but we have some days to prepare, and we are going to prepare for that game like we did [against Benfica] and hopefully we can get the win.’
The Blues may be in the USA, but the 2025/26 season is fast approaching! Make sure you're there for every moment with a Seasonal Hospitality Membership. Register your interest today and enjoy unforgettable matchday experiences all season long with Club Chelsea by clicking here.