Huge and historical soul!

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

What a fantastic victory for Benfica in Haifa, against Maccabi, 1-6, on Wednesday, November 2, which earned them 1st place in group H of the Champions League! For the first time in their history, the eagles amassed 14 points in this phase of the competition and advance as a seeded team for the draw for the round of 16, to be held on Monday, November 7. Gonçalo Ramos, Musa, Grimaldo, Rafa, Henrique Araújo and João Mário scored the goals!

Without Enzo (yellow card suspension), Roger Schmidt put Florentino in the starting eleven, which was the only change in the starting line-up compared to the one that was used in the thrashing of Chaves (5-0). 

After a corner for Benfica, Bah made a cross from the right and, in the box, Otamendi assisted Gonçalo Ramos, who opened the scoring with a header (0-1).

A cross from the left side of the Israeli attack hit Bah's right arm at 23', leading English referee Anthony Taylor, on the advice of VAR, to award a penalty kick. At 26', Chery beat Odysseas (1-1).

Roger Schmidt changed the team shortly after, at 32', bringing off Aursnes and Gonçalo Ramos, who had physical problems, putting Chiquinho and Musa in their places.

In Turin, at half-time, between Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, it was the same result as in Haifa (1-1).

The beginning of the second half was somewhat uncharacteristic, but gradually Benfica regained control in the game. 

At 59', Bah crossed to the edge of the goal area, where Musa dived, in the air, and headed the ball into Cohen's net, beating Seck's marking (1-2).

Grimaldo, in the 69', took free kick after a foul on Chiquinho and scored for the second time in a row, hitting the ball over the wall for a classy goal (1-3).

In the 73rd minute, Neres recovered the ball in the midfield, gained space in the central corridor, and assisted Rafa, who put the ball in the back of the net and scored his 11th goal of the season in 20 games, the 4th in the Champions League group stage and the 5th in the last four games (1-4).

With Paris Saint-Germain winning in Turin (1-2), Benfica was two goals away from achieving first place in the group if the result in Italy did not change, benefiting from the 7th tiebreaker, the highest number of goals scored away from home at this stage of the competition. 

Henrique Araújo, at 88', after Bah's pass, finished with class in the goal area (1-5)! 

At 90'+2', João Mário received the ball about 30 meters from the goal, rotated, gained some meters and beat the opposing goalkeeper with a long-range shot (1-6), scoring his 8th goal of the season in 21 games, the best record of his career!

While the Benfiquistas were celebrating in the stands, the players on the pitch waited a few moments to find out the result of the Turin duel, which confirmed 1st place in group H, since the Reds have scored nine goals away from home in this phase of the competition against Paris Saint-Germain's six.

Benfica keeps its unbeaten streak in the season, after 22 games, earning its first victory on Israeli soil and collecting 14 points in the group stage of the Champions League (the best record of the Club) and securing the status of seeded teamin the draw on Monday, November 7, in Nyon.

The eagles play again on Sunday, November 6, at 8:30 pm, against Estoril, at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota, in a game from matchday 12 of the Liga Bwin.