Two minutes settled a duel of patience!

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Gilberto and Neres scored the goals of Benfica's 2-0 win, in the match held this Saturday evening, November 26, at Estádio da Luz. 43 263 fans in the stands carried the eagles to victory, in a duel of patience...

Stoppage time in the main national competitions, eyes set on Qatar, with six players from SL Benfica wearing the colors of their national teams in the World Cup 2022. From Asia to Portugal, the match from gameweek 2 of group C of the League Cup at Estádio da Luz.

Odysseas, Gilberto, João Victor, Morato, Grimaldo, Florentino, Chiquinho, Neres, Draxler, Rafa and Musa were named for Roger Schmidt's starting XI, In a challenge also marked by a minute's silence, before kickoff, in memory of the late Fernando Gomes.

The opening whistle and Benfica controlled the match, with danger close to Caio Seco's goal. On 5', a mistake by the Penafiel defense and a goal opportunity, with Musa in the lead role. At 12', an identical play, with Gilberto in the middle, but no one was able to get the final touch.

Benfica was pressing, building and, at 21', created another good opportunity, this time with Rafa failing to follow up Neres' good work on the right.  

Minuto 29, Musa Minute 29, Musa went higher, but Caio Seco stopped the Croatian's header; ten minutes later, long distance free kick, but Grimaldo's shot went wide. In the last five minutes of the first half, three more chances...

In minute 42, Rafa assisted Draxler, who shot wide; in minute 44, Gilberto - with his heel - assisted Rafa, but Caio Seco said "no". In 45', the number 27 of the Glorioso appeared in front of the goalkeeper from Penafiel, and lost the duel...

Nil-nil at half-time in the Cathedral.

So much waste and two minutes (55' and 57') were enough to solve. Grimaldo's individual play, Musa shot for the goalkeeper's save and Gilberto then made it 1-0 in the rebound. Another insistence play, Rafa saw Caio Seco stop his shot, but Neres appeared to score the 2-0.

Until the end, there were a couple more opportunities for the newcomers, but the result remained unchanged. A Benfica victory that extends the team's unbeaten streak in the 2022/23 season to 27 games.

A pause in the work will follow, with the eagles returning to play officially on December 17, against Moreirense, at Estádio da Luz, for the 3rd and final round of group C of the League Cup, the remaining step in access to the quarterfinals of the competition.