Benfica head coach Bruno Lage singled out Pedro Neto for special praise after watching his side fall to a 4-1 defeat against Chelsea in the Club World Cup round of 16. The Portuguese manager highlighted Neto’s constant threat in one-on-one situations, describing him as a key figure in Chelsea’s attacking arsenal.
The match in North Carolina’s Bank of America Stadium was packed with drama. Chelsea appeared to have one foot in the quarter-finals after Reece James broke the deadlock with a brilliant free-kick in the 64th minute. However, the game was then suspended due to nearby lightning strikes, throwing the contest into chaos.
When play resumed, Benfica clawed their way back. Angel Di Maria calmly converted a penalty deep into stoppage time, moments after teammate Gianluca Prestianni was shown a second yellow card. Suddenly, the tie was turned on its head.
Chelsea responded in extra time with a ruthless display. Goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall put the game beyond doubt, sending Enzo Maresca’s side through to a quarter-final clash against Palmeiras in Philadelphia.
Bruno Lage: “Pedro Neto was very strong one-on-one”
Reflecting on the defeat in his post-match press conference, Lage pointed to Neto’s individual brilliance as a standout factor.
“We have to understand we were playing against a very good team, and Pedro Neto was very strong one-on-one,” Lage told reporters.
“Maybe in the first half we could have done better in attack, but over time the team grew into the game. The players on the field gave us a different energy.”
Lage, however, felt his side had reason to be proud, especially given the difficult circumstances of playing more than half an hour with ten men.
“We believed we could take the game into extra time, but with everything that happened — and the sending off — it was very hard against such a strong team,” he said.
“Still, I think we were the better team for the first 15 minutes of extra time. We created at least four good chances, but after Chelsea’s second goal, the match was effectively over.”
Maresca furious with suspension decision
Meanwhile, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca did not hide his frustration with the lengthy weather delay, calling it a “joke” that disrupted his team’s control of the match.
“For 85 minutes we were in complete control, didn’t concede anything, and created enough chances to win,” Maresca said.
“Then after the break, the game changed completely. For me, this is not football. You can’t sit inside for two hours and then continue. It’s something completely new.”
He added:
“Of course, I understand the suspension for safety reasons. But if you have to stop six or seven games, maybe this is not the right place to hold the competition.”
Still, Maresca was quick to underline his respect for the Club World Cup as a tournament.
“It’s a fantastic competition. We’re happy to be in the last eight,” he said.
“But in a World Cup, how many games do you see suspended? Probably zero. In Europe? Zero.”
