Spanish by birth, Uruguayan by football nationality, Rodrigo Zalazar is no longer new to Portuguese football. He’s been livening up Sp. Braga’s attack for two and a half seasons, discreetly asserting himself as one of the best foreign players in Portugal – if anyone asks about him, António Salvador will ask a lot. José Mourinho would certainly like to have a player like this at Benfica. Not only would it make a difference in the “reds”, but it would not be on the other side doing what it did this Wednesday in Leiria. A goal and an assist in Sp. Braga’s 3-1 victory, which earned them a ticket to an unprecedented League Cup final in Minho with Vitória de Guimarães.
Ten days after the championship clash that resulted in a draw (2-2), Sp. Braga and Benfica faced each other again, this time to reach a final, and the plan seemed the same in both, Sp. Braga betting on controlling the game through possession, Benfica populating the game with midfielders (no less than five), hoping that it could be enough to cause the Minho team to make a mistake in the construction. And this was where the difference was – Carlos Vincens had the creativity to put his plan into practice, Mourinho only had muscle.
The first dangerous approach even came from Benfica, at 4′, with a run by Dedic from the right that resulted in a cross for Pavlidis – the Greek aimed at the goal, Hornicek made a great save. It was Benfica’s only major offensive moment in the first half. Afterwards, it only gave Sp. Braga, or rather, it only gave Zalazar. The first big scare caused by the Uruguayan international happened in the 9th minute. He broke through the “red” defense and, at the edge of the area, was brought down by Otamendi – João Pinheiro’s first decision was to award a penalty, but the images showed that the (clear) foul was outside the area.
The goal wouldn’t take much longer. In the 19th minute, Zalazar, launched by Lagerbielke, ran down the right flank, faced Otamendi boldly and put the ball into the area. Tomás Araújo was on patrol, misread the move and left Pau Victor at ease to make it 1-0 with a crossed shot that left Trubin with no chance. Another goal from the ex-Barcelona man, his eighth of the season, but all the merit of the move lies with the Uruguayan creative. And he wasn’t going to stop there.
At 33′, it was Zalazar himself who took the ball and decided that he had to decide alone. From his own midfield, the South American drew a route towards Benfica’s goal and no one was able to stop him. Sudakov was hung on his back, but never managed to do anything, nor did Otamendi, who was conditioned by a yellow card. Zalazar arrived in the area and made it 2-0 for Sp. Braga. Just for what Sp. Braga had done and what Benfica didn’t have the art to do.
Something Mourinho must have said at half-time, that Benfica came with another urgency. And with Prestianni (a striker!) in place of Manu. This desire brought Benfica closer to Hornicek’s goal and the goal. In the 62nd minute, after a foul by Paulo Oliveira on Pavlidis which was punished with a penalty, it was the Greek who took over the conversion and scored the 2-1, giving Benfica extra life in this semi-final. But the “incarnates” didn’t do anything to her.
It was Sp. Braga who reached 3-1, in the 81st minute, with a Lagerbielke rebound after a Trubin save which would have been an own goal by Araújo. And Benfica, who no longer had much to give, let the game take its course – and still lost Otamendi, sent off with a second yellow card in the 89th minute, for the Cup game with FC Porto. This game Mourinho will not say he won. He lost and lost well.
