Benfica got the better of Club Brugge’s enthusiasm to opt for the Champions League quarter-finals by winning 2-0 on Wednesday night in the Venice of the North in the round of 16 first leg, thanks to goals from Joao Mario and David Neres in the second half.
The Lusitanian formation, which had beaten Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus Turin during the group stage, justified its status as favorites against the little thumb of the competition at this stage of the season. In difficulty in the league, where they only occupy fourth position, twenty lengths behind leader Genk, the people of Bruges had nevertheless decided to put on their gala outfit to pack the match from the start, under the impetus of the international Dutch Noa Lang at the forefront of the attack.
Mastery of Lisbon
But the Blauw en Zwart, who had won in the group stage against FC Porto, Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid, could only oppose their fighting spirit to the greatest technical mastery of the Lisbon people.
Landed in Bruges in January to replace Carl Hoefkens, English coach Scott Parker did not find the tactical parade to disrupt the visitors’ calm game. By not lining up any real number 9, the former coach of Fulham and Bournemouth has placed the Portuguese defense in an armchair.
Opposite, the interest was to see how Roger Schmidt’s men would behave for their first continental outing since the departure of star striker Enzo Fernandez, transferred at the end of January to Chelsea against 121 million euros.
Passing Belgian storm
After letting the initial Belgian storm pass, the Eagles put their opponents under pressure thanks in particular to the Argentinian defender Nicolas Otamendi, who was very offensive. At the half-hour, Rafa Silva narrowly missed opening the scoring when his recovery hit the frame of the goal defended by Simon Mignolet. A few moments later, it was Gonzalo Ramos who gave the 27,000 Belgian supporters a cold sweat. But the Portuguese international, author of a resounding hat-trick in the World Cup against Switzerland (6-1), just missed the target (36th).
Only a goal from Denis Odoi canceled for offside (45th) barely disturbed the Portuguese mechanics which got back in motion after the break, quickly rewarded by a converted penalty from Joao Mario (51st) following a fault by Jack Hendry on Ramos.
And two minutes from time, the Brazilian David Neres, who came into play during the second half, took advantage of a blunder from Bjorn Meijer to go alone to double the lead (88th).