Ronaldo and Félix on target
Despite failing to progress in the Champions League, Benfica’s steadily improved showings throughout their Group G campaign culminated in the Eagles qualifying for the Europa League thanks to a 3-0 victory over Zenit St Petersburg on Tuesday night in Lisbon.
Elsewhere, João Félix and Cristiano Ronaldo hit the net, Olympiacos and their Portuguese contingent grabbed a dramatic late win to stay in Europe, but there was disappointment for Luís Castro as his Shakhtar Donetsk side missed a golden opportunity to reach the knockout stage of the Champions League. PortuGOAL rounds up all the action from matchday 6 of Europe’s premier club competition from the Portuguese perspective.
Benfica 3-0 Zenit St. Petersburg
In what was Benfica’s most convincing Champions League performance this season, it was a bittersweet sensation at the final whistle in the Portuguese capital. A thoroughly deserved 3-0 victory meant that Benfica will continue to play European football in the second half of the season, but the feeling persists that with a little more ambition the Portuguese champions could have made it into Monday’s Champions League knockout stage draw.
Benfica started the night knowing only a 2-0 win or a victory by three clear goals would guarantee qualification for the Europa League. The home side bossed possession for most of the first half, with Pizzi and Vinícius threatening, while at the other end of the pitch Azmoun skidded two shots wide, but by the time the half-time whistle went neither goalkeeper had been called into serious action.
Whatever Benfica coach Bruno Lage said to his players during the interval had the desired effect as the home team swarmed all over the Russians from the offset upon the restart. In the 47th minute Cervi put Benfica ahead with an easy finish from close range after a neat move gave Pizzi the opportunity to swing an inviting cross into the Argentine’s path.
Pizzi himself made it 2-0 from the penalty spot before the hour mark, and with Douglas Santos picking up a second yellow card and being sent off in giving away the spot kick, the game appeared as good as over there and then.
However, it required a sharp save by the ever-alert Vlachodimos to prevent Zenit from pulling a goal back, the Benfica goalkeeper athletically tipping an Azmoun shot over the bar. Having narrowly failed to equalise on that occasion, Azmoun did manage to find the net soon afterwards, but at the wrong end as his attempted clearance from a corner sliced into his own net to make it 3-0 to Benfica.
It could have been more, with Vinícius and Cervi missing clear opportunities, but in a thoroughly one-sided match Benfica did what they had to do and also helped Portugal’s tussle with Russia in the coefficients table by dumping Zenit out of Europe.
As has been the case for much of this season, Pizzi was the star performer for Benfica, pulling the strings with his incisive passing and non-stop energetic running, with goalkeeper Vlachodimos and centre-back Ferro also putting in praiseworthy displays.
“After not managing to progress in the Champions League the objective was to qualify for the Europa League. I believe the fans wanted more – we did too,” said Ferro. “But it is through our mistakes that we are growing as a team and getting stronger and stronger.”
Group B: Late goal gives Olympiacos dramatic win, Spurs fall at Bayern
Olympiacos 1-0 Red Star Belgrade
Pedro Martins’ men hosted Red Star Belgrade with Daniel Podence, José Sá and Rúben Semedo all in the starting line-up. They ran out 1-0 victors over bottom place Red Star thanks to an El Arabi goal in the 87th minute to snatch a Europa League berth from their opponents at the death.
In a group that included Bayern and Tottenham, qualification for the latter stages of the Champions League was always going to be difficult. The Greeks competed well in all matches, but and third place in the group means the Europa League and yet another Portuguese manager competing in the competition in the New Year.
Bayern Munich 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur
José Mourinho’s men travelled to Bavaria with qualification to the knockout phase of the Champions League for both sides, already wrapped up. Whilst the game itself was a dead rubber, it was a chance for José to test himself against an elite superpower in Bayern Munich.
Bayern took the lead early on through Kingsley Coman. The lead however didn’t last long as six minutes later Ryan Sessegnon levelled proceedings. Bayern took the lead once more through substitute Thomas Müller before Philippe Coutinho finished the game off. A disappointing result for Spurs and Mourinho but they can find solace that this result came in a game that was of little importance. Spurs qualify in second place and go into the draw on Monday night!
Group C: Bernando and Cancelo feature in easy City win
GNK Dinamo Zagreb 1-4 Manchester City
Pep Guardiola’s men travelled to Zagreb with qualification already in the bag. Although Dinamo took the lead through a fine Dani Olmo goal, that was about it from the Croatian side. They remained happy to let City dominate the ball, refusing to press City to sweep forward and make their trademark quick interchanges. City scored four including a hat-trick for Brazilian Gabriel Jesus. A final nail In the European coffin for Dinamo was supplied by wonderkid Phil Foden, tapping home expertly a Bernardo Silva cut-back.
João Cancelo got another 90 minutes which was a real Portuguese positive to take. He had an okay game, wasn’t tested too much defensively due to the Croatian’s conservatism, but he got forward well and linked up with the midfield.
Shakhtar Donetsk 0-3 Atalanta
Luís Castro’s men ended the campaign with disappointment, falling to a 3-0 defeat to Atalanta. Qualification looked on the cards for Shakhtar throughout the group stages, with Atalanta failing to perform in the first three games. However, Shakhtar’s failure to see off the Italians has ultimately cost them, with Atalanta blowing them off the park. Timothy Castagne made the breakthrough after 68 minutes and after Dodo received a straight red card, Castro’s side’s task become a whole lot harder. Pasalics and Gosens scored further goals for Atalanta to put the Italian side into the knockouts in their debut Champions league campaign.
Castro’s men will now have to do with the Europa League, the positive for the Portuguese football supporters being that yet another Portuguese manager will be involved in the competition!
Group D: Félix and Ronaldo score
Atlético Madrid 2-0 Lokomotiv Moscow
Diego Simeone’s men hosted the Russian side Lokomotiv with qualification hanging in the balance. A win was imperative, and a win is what was delivered. There was Portuguese attackers at both ends of the field with João Félix and Éder starting for their respective clubs.
Atlético dominated Lokomotiv throughout, winning an early penalty only for Kieran Trippier to be denied by Lokomotiv goalkeeper Kochenkov. Atléti continued to probe and press and their efforts were rewarded with another penalty, this time for a handball. João Félix demonstrated confidence and swagger to pick the ball up, put it on the spot and send the goalkeeper the wrong way and to put his side 1-0 up. A brave move to take on the penalty with so many other senior players on the pitch but a sign of a man confident in his own ability.
Just after half time Atléti made it 2-0, this time through ex-FC Porto defender Felipe, who turned in a Koke cross to ensure Atléti’s passageway to the knockout stages. Sadly for Éder, this is where the European journey ends for him this season. It has been a disappointing group stage for both him and his team although the difficulty of his task should be emphasised as Éder has had playing as a lone striker for a team that doesn’t see a lot of the ball.
Félix showed flashes of brilliance throughout with his quick thinking, skilful, purposeful dribbling and eye for a pass. He was withdrawn on 81 minutes with all three points in the bag.
Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Juventus
Juventus, with qualification in the bag made the tricky trip to Bayer Leverkusen who were themselves chasing qualification in the hope of an Atlético slip-up.
The game was a non-starter for much of it, until Cristiano Ronaldo got the decisive goal on 75 minutes, finishing from a Paulo Dybala pass. Gonzalo Higuaín added another goal in injury time. Juventus top of the group with a whopping 16 points, dropping just two points over the six games. Juventus’ progress means the competition’s all-time leading goal-scorer Ronaldo has the chance to further extend his record and once again chase European glory.
Group E: Mário Rui progresses
Napoli 4-0 KRC Genk
Mario Rui played 90 minutes as his side progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League thanks to a comprehensive 4-0 victory over bottom team Genk. Rui was solid throughout, keeping a clean sheet and making 7 clearances. Arkadiusz Milik grabbed a first half hat-trick to put the game to bed before half time. Dries Mertens added the final blow for Napoli 15 minutes from time.
The Italian side progress to the knockout phase of the Champions League having navigated their way out of what could have been a tricky group, but Mário Rui and company will play the knockout phase under a new coach given that Carlo Ancelotti was sacked after the match.
Group F: Guerreiro makes it through
Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Slavia Prague
Borussia Dortmund hosted Slavia in Group F in the group dubbed the group of death. As Barcelona and Inter pitted themselves against one another Dortmund knew they had to win to gain qualification. Raphaël Guerreiro played the full 90 minutes and his side got the job done.
Jadon Sancho got the Germans underway after 10 minutes, putting Dortmund one foot into the knockout stages. Slavia gave the hosts a scare as Soucek equalised just before half time but ten minutes into the second period Dortmund were back in front, Julian Brandt finishing as Jadon Sancho this time turned provider.
Group G: Lopes and Lyon recover from poor start
Lyon 2-2 RB Leipzig
Antony Lopes’ Lyon guaranteed their spot in the knockout rounds of the Champions League.
The night started of a disaster for Lopes when he rushed out and collided with Yussuf Poulson and after some deliberation with VAR, Anthony Taylor gave a penalty for Leipzig. Emil Forsberg dispatched the penalty before Timo Werner scored another penalty.
Lyon were not dead however and continued to fight. They came out of the second half more aggressively and pulled one back through Houssem Aouar on 50 minutes. They pushed for an equaliser as the game went on whilst remaining cautions of Leipzig on the counter. In the 82nd minute the equaliser was found, Memphis Depay gaining a point for his side. In a comprising four teams of a similar quality, it is Lyon and Leipzig who progress to the next round.
Group H: Lille out with a whimper
Chelsea 2-1 Lille OSC
A quite frankly awful Champions League campaign ended for Lille with a defeat. In a group where the first and second placed teams gained 11 points and 3rd-placed Ajax accumulated 10, Lille’s solitary point looks even worse in contrast.
Renato Sanches, whose form lately has been nothing short of magical in Ligue 1, was relegated to the bench in order to give him a rest. Veteran Portugal centre-back José Fonte was also rested as Lille had no chance to finish anywhere but bottom of this group and the league is now the priority.
Tammy Abraham and Azpilicueta got Chelsea underway with two goals in the first half, Loïc Remy pulled one back against his former club in the 78th minute but it wasn’t enough for the French side.
By Aaron Barton & Tom Kundert
