Benfica Braga Game 22 Journey Liga Placard

GAME SUMMARY

O Benfica received and beat Braga (7-1) this Friday, April 26th, in a game of the 22nd and final round of the 1st phase of the Liga Placard. Pressure and intensity were the basis of an unblemished triumph built with moments of great spectacle.

Before a large human frame at Pavilhão Fidelidade, the eagles entered the game practically winning. As soon as two’, Leo Gugiel got up on the field and shot across: Alligatorin front of the goal, touched (1-0). A few minutes of stopping and responding followed, with the irons taking the lead: Dudu, at 4′, and Bruno Cintra, at 6′, shot at poles from the Benfica and Braga goals, respectively.

To the 9′Braga reached a draw (1-1) with a cross shot from Bruno Soares, but the Glorioso’s response didn’t take long. Three minutes later, Alligator received the ball and touched it with his heel to Gonçalo Sobralwhose shot hit the post before hang on the back of Dudu and follow the path of networks (2-1).

Until the half-time whistle, Afonso Jesus saw Ítalo Rossetti deny him the goal on the line, at 13′and Braga ran into two quality saves from Léo Gugielin the last seconds of the 1st part.

The second part was the stage for a Benfica’s offensive gale. To the 26′, Afonso Jesus recovered the ball in Braga’s midfield, saw his shot intercepted by Dudu and got the ball again, endorsing the Edmilson Sáwho hit the empty net (3-1).

To the 28′ and to 29′, Bruno Cintra was opposed by good interventions of the Braga goalkeeper and, at the 33′, Alligator threw at post, in yet another excellent transition for the team led by Mário Silva. The waste would have to be broken up by Edmilson Sá. In the space of two minutes, to the 34′ and 36′O jersey 14 of the eagles completed the hat trick with two throws of fine technical cut: at the 4-1 scored goals after a deflection of to heel and, in 5-1, fired first after making a hat to Tiago Brito.

Always with the foot on the acceleratorO Benfica never stopped looking for the opponent’s goal and managed extend the advantage in the final minutes. To the 38′, Gonçalo Sobral did the 6-1 in reloading an incomplete defense by Dudu and, one minute laterthe same player completed the bis close to the goal, after a pass Alligator. Goleada signed with moments of quality and toasted with a loud ovation of the fans who went to the Fidelidade Pavilion!

A game that had the Auditiv as Match Day Sponsor (OMG)the eagles return to the field next Friday, May 3against the Spanish side of Palma, in Champions League final four. The competition’s semi-final duel will be played in Yerevan (Armenia) and will begin at 15:00 (Mainland Portugal time).

DECLARATIONS

Mário Silva (Benfica coach): “The match, above all, was serious from Benfica’s point of view. Whatever the result, we would always be in the same position in the regular phase. We know that this competition is not decided on points and that we have an important moment ahead, the European competition, in which we want to reach our peak next Friday [3 de maio]. The team was serious, responsible, supportive, disciplined and rigorous in what was asked of them. We were consistent throughout the 40 minutes. We achieved more than enough situations to build these results. The team from January to now has been working better, consistently and well. We believe that we will present ourselves well prepared for what lies ahead.”

Edmilson Sá (Benfica winger): “It was important to win. I want to thank the fans for their support and highlight the team’s performance, which was very good. We were superior throughout the entire game. We always play to win, now we are going to have a competition [Liga dos Campeões] to win and we will do everything for it.”