Olhanense was beaten by Benfica this evening at home by 2-1, in a game in which they were even the first to score. Evandro Brandão scored for Olhanense at the start of the second half, but Benfica came back with goals from Rodrigo and Lima.
This was the first match of the League Cup group stage, followed by games with Moreirense and Académica, who drew today, Wednesday, in Moreira de Cónegos.
The game's history is told by the second half, not only because it was the one in which the goals came, but also because the first half had very complicated periods of play. Something that was largely due to the attitude of the home team, which entered determined to make life difficult for the defending champion of the League Cup.
Olhanense had an opportunity in the first minute to take the lead after a good pass by Evandro Brandão, but David Silva didn't get the goal, despite the hindrance of Benfica's defense. Paulo Lopes held it very close to the line.
In the first half there were opportunities from both sides, although few of great danger. On the Olhanense side, after the play in the first minute, the most dangerous plays resulted from set-pieces.
Benfica, who left the usual starters at the Bank (at first lined up with only one player who started in the last game), didn't do much better. After two shots by Rodrigo, one of them passing very close to the crossbar, in the 5th and 6th minute, Benfica only managed to create the sensation of an eminent goal in a play that had already finished the first half, with Nolito hitting Ricardo weakly.
The second half began, practically, with the goal of Olhanense. After 47 minutes, Jander runs away from the left, goalkeeper Paulo Lopes cuts his feet outside the area directly to Evandro Brandão, who didn't forgive.
On the losing side, Benfica coach Jorge Jesus moved the team and made the entry of Lima and Salvio, two regular attackers of the eagles, in the 55th minute to replace Bruno César and André Gomes, two midfielders. The effects did not take long to be felt.
Until the equalizer, there were several opportunities for the visiting team, almost all with Lima's signature. Olhanense tried to take advantage and create danger in counterattacks, which they even managed, but without achieving.
On minute 68, following a well-studied set-piece, Jardel touched the back line to the small area and Rodrigo touched it to the back of the goal.
Benfica continued at a high pace and Olhanense tried to match, but the home team's hopes of maintaining, at least, the draw.
But, in a confused move, in which the goalkeeper Ricardo still touched the ball, Lima put Benfica in advantage, a result that remained until the end.
After the game, the coaches assessed the fairness of the result in a very different way, with Jorge Jesus considering the victory fair and Sérgio Conceição considering that his players deserved more, due to the effort and commitment to the game.
“We entered the game well and scored first. But we ended up suffering a goal in a pumped ball, harmless, something that is already common in this team», said the coach of Olhanense.
Even so, he considered the result "totally unfair", praising his team "who ran and struggled" to obtain a better result. A word is also on the scarcity of options, as Olhanense has seven injured players and "besides the goalkeeper, there were only four players on the bench".
Teams
Olhanense: Ricardo, André Micael, Nuno Reis, Nuno Piloto, David Silva, Jander (Rui Duarte 61′), Rui Sampaio, Vítor Vinha, Evandro Brandão (Fernandez 88′), Babanco (Targino 72′), Fernando.
Substitutes: Bracalli, Rui Duarte, José Fernandez, Francesco D' Onófrio, Targino.
Benfica:Paulo Lopes, Luísinho, Bruno César (Lima 53'), Nolito (Ola John 74'), Rodrigo, Nico Gaitan, Jardel, André Almeida, Enzo Perez, Sydney, André Gomes (Salvio 53').
Substitutes: Mika, Lima, Ola John, Salvio, Luis Martins, João Cancelo, Fábio Cardoso
Comments