Crvena Zvezda 1-2 Benfica
Two games, two wins for new Benfica coach Bruno Lage. The Eagles began their Champions League campaign strongly in Serbia this afternoon, racing into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals in the opening half hour by Turkish duo Kerem Aktürkoglu and Orkun Kökçü.
Crvena Zvezda fought hard to get back into the game after the break, their pressure eventually telling when former Marítimo player Milson pulled a goal back late on to make it an uncomfortable final few minutes for Benfica.
The Lisbon club held on and begin the new format of the Champions League with an important three points.
Unchanged from the 4-1 thumping of Santa Clara at the weekend, Benfica started like they meant business with Kerem Aktürkoglu curling a dangerous long-range effort narrowly wide in the opening exchanges.
Rollheiser then had a chance from a Carreras cross but failed to get a clean connection on his shot.
Deadlock broken early
The positive start from the visitors was rewarded with a goal in the 9th minute. Di María and Alexander Bah combined well on the right flank, the full-back’s cross deflected over goalkeeper Omri Glazer with the alert Aktürkoglu reacting quicker than dawdling defender Rade Krunic to bundle the ball home from practically on the goal-line.
The goal stung Crvena into action. Krunic attempted to make up for his mistake with a dangerous incursion into the Benfica box, his shot from a tight angle saved by Trubin. The Benfica goalkeeper was soon called into action again, saving Peter Olayinka’s acrobatic effort.
Ex Vitória and Farense striker Bruno Duarte was next to try his luck, his shot from 20 yards too hot to handle for Trubin but nobody was on hand for the follow-up after the Ukrainian had spilled the ball.
Benfica settle
Having survived a spell of pressure, Benfica began to take better care of the ball, defending higher up the pitch upon Lage’s instructions and the chances dried up for the home side.
Kökçü was again front and centre of most of Benfica’s bright moments, the Turkish midfielder winning a free kick in a dangerous position in the 28th minute. Di María and Kökçü both stood over the ball, and it was the Turk who took responsibility, happily for Benfica as he profited from a poorly set wall and sent a lovely 25-yard curler into the net.
Bah crocked
What was turning into a perfect night for Benfica took a turn for the worse in the 35th minute as Alexander Bah picked up what appeared a serious leg injury and had to be stretched off. The right-back has been back to his best in recent games and losing the Dane for a significant length of time would be a blow to the Eagles.
Mirko Ivanic had the final chance of the half, his shot from distance whistling narrowly wide.
The second half was a different game. Benfica, whether by design or as a result of the home side’s pressure, retreated further and further back towards their own goal. Lage tried to address the issue by replacing Rollheiser with Aursnes, the reliable Norwegian returning from injury.
But Aursnes failed to reverse the trend of the match, with the visitors finding it difficult to get out of their own half and cross after cross raining into the Benfica box.
Kaboré shaky
Bah’s replacement Issa Kaboré, brought in on loan from Manchester City on transfer deadline day, was given a torrid time on his debut as Crvena focused on the left flank to do most of their attacking.
Despite the one-way direction of the game, the Serbs were not creating any clear sights at goal, although Aursnes nearly scored an own goal as he fortuitously intercepted yet another cross in the 66th minute.
On a rare Benfica counter-attack Di María’s long-range shot flew over the bar.
Crvena’s pressure finally told in the 86th minute when a clever pass by Ndiaye caught out both Benfica centre-backs Otamendi and António Silva, leaving Milson clean through on goal. He didn’t waste the opportunity, knocking the ball past Trubin to reignite belief among the home fans and set up a grandstand finish.
Lage attempted to shore up the defence and eat away more time by making a triple substitution, Jan-Niklas Beste, Leandro Barreiro and Zeki Amdouni coming on for Kökçü, Di María and Pavlidis.
Amdouni unlucky
Amdouni almost made the game safe with a spectacular curling shot from way out wide that smacked against the post.
It mattered not as Benfica survived a few hairy moments in stoppage time to claim all three points.
By Tom Kundert
Crvena Zvezda: Omri Glazer, Ognjen Mimovic (Dálcio Gomes, 27’), Nasser Djiga, Uros Spajic, Seol Young-woo, Rade Krunic (Luka Ilic, 82’), Mirko Ivanic, Timi Elšnik, Peter Olayinka (Milson, 71’), Bruno Duarte (Cherif Ndiaye, 71’), Nemanja Radonjic
Benfica: Anatoliy Trubin, Alexander Bah (Issa Kaboré, 37’), António Silva, Nicolás Otamendi, Álvaro Carreras, Orkun Kökçü (Leandro Barreiro, 88’), Florentino Luís, Ángel Di María (Zeki Amdouni, 88’), Benjamín Rollheiser (Fredrik Aursnes, 56’), Kerem Aktürkoglu, Vangelis Pavlidis (Jan-Niklas Beste, 88’)
Goals:
[0-1] Kerem Aktürkoglu, 9’
[0-2] Orkun Kökçü, 29’
[1-2] Milson, 86’
