Benfica OC Barcelos: 3rd Champions League Title

GAME SUMMARY

On the night of this Thursday, December 11th, at Pavilhão Fidelidade, the Benfica beat OC Barcelos, 6-1, in the 3rd round of Group B of the WSE Champions League.

Edu Castro climbed an initial five formed by Conti Acevedo, João Rodrigues, Roberto Di Benedetto, Diogo Rafael and Zé Miranda to welcome the defending European champion, who, upon arrival at this round, was the 3rd classified of Group B, with 3 pointsthe same as HC Liceo. In turn, the eagles added 6 pointsnos first places of the grouping.

As the Benfica coach had highlighted in the previewhis subordinates needed “prepare very well for all phases of the game“, so as to be “competitive and emerge victorious“… and that’s what they did!

After two major interventions Conti Acevedo denying the visitors a goal, the Reds took the lead in the 5th minute. Following a prolonged exchange of the ball, Roberto Di Benedetto progressed from right to left and peaked into the area, where João Rodrigues opened the scoring with an aerial finish (1-0).

However, the OC Barcelos’ reaction was immediate. After just a few seconds, Carlos Ramos went up to the right and reestablished equality with a cross shot (1-1).

Long minutes of balance and fast pace of play. Still, the networks did not shake, with Conti Acevedo to continue to stand out in the Glorioso goal.

However, in the last 5 minutes of the 1st half, the Benfica explained all its qualitypointing 3 tries. At 20′, in a movement similar to the first goal, Roberto Di Benedettowent from João Rodriguesmade a diagonal along the court and, to the left, shot low into the back of the goal (2-1).

At the 23rd minute, the home team had a penaldue to lack of Miguel Rocha on Roberto Di Benedettobut Guillem Torrents defended Zé Miranda’s chargeas well as two refills.

It wasn’t a dead ball… went to the bomb law! The next minute, assisted by Roberto Di Benedetto, Zé Miranda went up to the left and, from afar, sent a missile placed towards the 3-1launching a big party at the Fidelidade Pavilion.

Already 6 seconds from rest, in a quick exit, Zé Miranda worked well on his marker, escaped to the right and served João Rodrigues in the area, who shot first and fixed the result at half-time in 4-1.

When the fight resumed, the Benfica collective kept its foot on the accelerator and, in the first seconds of the complementary stage, reached the handful of goals. After an incursion of Gonçalo Pinto on the right, the ball bounced into the area. Attentive and killer, Zé Miranda scored twice with an instinctive shot (5-1).

With a comfortable advantagethose commanded by Edu Castro they slowed down and controlled the gamewho moved away from the goals.

At 34′, the visitors benefited from a direct freeas the Reds hit their 10th foul. Against Carlos Ramos, Conti Acevedo confirmed his inspired performance with an excellent intervention with his feet.

Three minutes later (37′), Kyllian Gil saw the blue card due to lack of Lucas Ordoñez. In numerical superiority, the red and white formation still shook the irons twicebut was unable to take advantage of the powerplay.

Thus, the score it only changed again in the 46th minute. Diogo Rafael cut the ball in front, and it was left for Gonçalo Pintowhich, on the left, placed on the opposite side, in João Rodrigues. Immediately, with a low shot, the number 79 completed the hat-trick and closed the count in 6-1.

Now isolated in 1st position of Group B of the Champions League – due to other results –, with 9 pointsand still 100% victorious in this season’s commitments, Benfica returns to play in Fidelidade Pavilion to the 15h00 Sunday, December 14thin front of the SC Tomarin a match on the 9th round of the 1st phase of the National Championship.

DECLARATIONS

Edu Castro (Benfica coach): “OC Barcelos started the game very well, but we scored the first goal. They equalized in the next play, then played some very good minutes, and Conti was fantastic in our goal. It cost us, we couldn’t feel comfortable in the game, until we scored the second goal. The break came, the start of the 2nd half, and we managed the result better. We must look at what we can do better in each game, regardless of the result, and not make mistakes. Analyze the what we are doing well and what we can do better.”

João Rodrigues (Benfica forward): “It was an excellent performance by Benfica in line with what we have been doing. An important victory. In the Champions League, in this group stage, it is important not to give in at home. And for now we have 3 games, 3 victories. It is important to continue like this. There were moments in the 1st half when the forces were quite equal, but as soon as we made it 2-1, we controlled the game perfectly. I think we were very responsible for the goal we conceded against OC Barcelos. We finished After scoring 1-0, we suffered soon after and it took us a while to dominate the game. From the moment we made it 2-1, perhaps we weren’t having a great game until then, but then we went on to have a great performance. A result that also gives us confidence now to think about Sunday’s game, which will be very competitive, against a rival that always gives us a lot of headaches. [Equipa 100% vitoriosa desde o início da época] It’s a sign of work. It’s a sign that we are doing things well. But it is also a sign that the first defeat is coming. Sport is like that. We know we will lose someday. But we want that day to be as late as possible. We work to win every game. Learning about victories, which is sometimes not always easy, but we have had the humility to do it.”