Benfica beat Bayern Munich, however each side progress from Group C, whereas minnows Auckland draw 1-1 with Boca Juniors.
Chelsea have entered the FIFA Membership World Cup knockouts after beating Esperance of Tunisia 3-0 and can play their last-16 tie towards Benfica, who defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 earlier in searing warmth.
Chelsea eased via with a medical 3-0 win over Esperance at Lincoln Monetary Discipline in Group D in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
New signing Liam Delap opened his account for the membership with a deftly taken end in stoppage time on the finish of the primary half, simply moments after Tosin Adarabioyo had headed the Blues in entrance.
Teenage expertise Tyrique George added Chelsea’s third deep into damage time on the finish of the sport with a low shot that crept below Esperance goalkeeper Bechir Ben Stated.
Flamengo, who had already assured themselves of prime spot within the part after wins over Chelsea and Esperance, wrapped up their first-round marketing campaign with a 1-1 draw towards already eradicated LAFC in Orlando.
Los Angeles ahead Denis Bouanga threatened to offer the MLS facet an upset win of their remaining recreation of the event after a cool end within the 84th minute, just for Wallace Yan to equalise for Flamengo two minutes later.
In Charlotte, Andreas Schjelderup scored the one purpose for Benfica of their Group C conflict with Bayern in entrance of 33,287 followers, ending first-time from a cutback by his fellow Norwegian Fredrik Aursnes within the thirteenth minute.
The German champions, who left the likes of Harry Kane and Michael Olise on the bench at kickoff, had been unable to return again in sweltering afternoon situations in heatwave-hit North Carolina.
Kane and Olise got here on at half-time, and Bayern did then look extra harmful, however Leroy Sane was denied when clear via by Benfica’s Ukrainian goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.
A draw would have allowed Bayern to prime the part, however a Kimmich effort that discovered the web was dominated out for offside, and Trubin denied Sane once more whereas Kane mistimed a header late on.
It was Benfica’s first-ever win in 14 aggressive conferences with Bayern, and it meant they completed first and can subsequent play Group D runners-up Chelsea in Charlotte within the final 16 on Saturday.
Bayern Munich performed their recreation towards Benfica below sweltering situations in Charlotte on June 24, 2025 (Paul Ellis/AFP)
‘Tiny membership with an enormous coronary heart’
That consequence meant no matter Boca did towards Auckland Metropolis in Nashville wouldn’t be sufficient to qualify, however the Argentinian giants had been nonetheless anticipated to do higher than draw 1-1 towards the event minnows from New Zealand.
Auckland had misplaced 10-0 to Bayern and 6-0 to Benfica, however this time they recovered from falling behind within the first half when goalkeeper Nathan Garrow palmed a Lautaro Di Lollo header into his personal internet.
Christian Grey equalised with a header within the second half to earn the only real representatives from Oceania a outstanding level.
“You’ll be able to’t say we haven’t discovered from the expertise of being on the event. I’m thrilled for the gamers and the membership; it’s great. It’s one thing to go house with,” stated Metropolis coach Paul Posa.
“We’re a tiny membership with an enormous coronary heart, and that’s evident for all to see.”
The sport was the fifth up to now on the event to be suspended attributable to a climate warning, with play stopping for nearly an hour. When the motion restarted, not a drop of rain had fallen at Geodis Park.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, FIFA opened a disciplinary investigation into Pachuca’s Gustavo Cabral after allegations he made a racist remark to Actual Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger.
The incident got here in direction of the tip of Sunday’s recreation between the 2 groups, which Actual gained 3-1.
Auckland Metropolis gamers have fun on the finish of their match towards Argentinian soccer giants Boca Juniors on the Geodis Park stadium in Nashville (Federico Parra/AFP)
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