FiFA CLUB WORLD CUP
Chelsea Pick Semi-final Ticket At Benfica’s Expense
By Yadnom Awu/Asaba
Chelsea walloped Benfica by four unreplied goals to earn a semi final ticket in the FIFA Club World Cup championship in America.
The game, with less than five minutes to go, was suspended for two hours due to inclement weather.
By the victory, Chelsea became the first English team to pick the semi final ticket, and the second from the round of 16 to do so.
Brazilian side,Palmeras, had, on the same night, picked the first round of eight ticket following a 99th minute goal by substitute Paulinho.
Palmeras beat Botafogo, the South American champion also from Brazil, after the game ended goalless in regulation time.
Both Palmeras and Botafogo are local Brazilian rivals and the Saturday night victory by Palmeras was the eighth consecutive time it would dominate by the same goal margin.
Brazil is the only country whose four entrants for the championship qualified for the round of 16, also called the quarter final stage.
