Football craft is about the art of football, Benfica, my interpretation to what I see in the Liga Zon Sagres and football Involving Portuguese clubs, also grassroots and non league football in England.
Scouting at lower level and players expectations.
A tense night at Parc des Princes, PSG needed to set the tone of the game but getting a goal and then defend. Benfica needed to get the away goal and hold on for at least a 1-1 draw.
On a night where the stadium was packed, and i mean packed by Benfica supporters and a squad that had been rested from playing the previous league game, the expectations of the visiting crowd and Eagle supporters were high.
Benfica started the match well, the attack from Benfica as usual was rushed forward, with a PSG defence able to stand the attack, Makelele seemed the man to break up most of Benfica’s attack from the middle, where Benfica had Pablo Aimar whom was being instrumental to create the offensive play.
Benfica took the lead on the 27th minute when Nico Gaitan was fed outside the area by Salvio, the Argentine looked up as to cross, but opted for a long range shot at goal, and with the ball swerving away from Edel Benfica went ahead 1-0 and with the much needed away goal.
But it was to be a short lived lead as on the 35th minute Bodmer equalized from a sweet right foot volley just inside Roberto’s goal area.
The second half was mainly dominated by the French, with Benfica being taken back to its goal at most occasions, the likes of Coentrao and Maxi Pereira constantly working the wings from the back, supporting Gaitan and Javi with Saviola in Behind Cardozo seemed to be always good for a counter attack at the ever attacking French side looking to get 1 goal to take the tie into extra time.
Roberto was called upon late in the match to make a point blank save to keep the reds in the game.
Benfica would have been able to get away from this with a goal more, but the usual connection of passing and finishing in the final third of the pitch was always stopping the comfortable passage through.
The atmosphere in the final 10 minutes in the stadiums was more than Benfica would have imagined, the crown of over 20,000 travelling an immigrant Portuguese people made it a home away from home, and the songs ‘Glorioso SLB’ and ‘Benfica Campeao’ could be hard to inspire the team on.
On another note with FC Porto and SC Braga through to the quarters as well, it could be a meeting between two Portuguese team or not avoidable should the all reach the semi finals.
With the Eagle more or less out of the running for the league after the loss in Braga last week, Jorge Jesus had opted to rest some players for the upcoming second leg match against PSG.
A line up not including the likes of Fabio Coentrao and Roberto, Moreira took over goal guarding duties. Jesus gave January signing Carole his first start at left back with Luis Felipe at right back.
With Luisao, Javi Garcia and Maxi Pereira suspended, it was to be a different back four. The partnership of Jardel with Roderick at the back was to be tested.
Airton held the centre with Aimar just in-front, with Menezes and Peixoto at either side, Jara and Kardec upfront.
With the opposing team being rooted to the bottom of the league, it was as good time as any to try out some players, to observe strengths and weaknesses.
But the team from Portimao were in no mood to lay back and let their host mess about with the subs.
Portimao went ahead on the 29th minute when Ricardo Pessoa converted a penalty when Roderick handled just inside the area.
The game was only to be equalized on the 78th Minute, Nuno Gomes came off the bench to head the ball into the back of the net.
On a night where many questioned the decision to used that many players not often used.
But I liked a few things that I saw, I liked the Young full back Carole, although he will take some hard work to replace Fabio Coentrao, his style was different, he preferred the much direct passing forward, he pushed and was able to get in space, but clearly he needs more games.
The partnership of Roderick and Jardel, at times resembled the Luisao Sidnei, ‘oh the one where they don’t understand each other that is’, Roderick attempt to clear with his hand instead of his head resulted in a penalty. To say the back four could have had a rest on this night too.
The style of play from the team was somewhat usual, kept majority of possession, had more shots at goal etc etc...
But this was a game to try and rest the players for the match where the club is looking to concentrate on, the Europa League, going into the game against PSG 2-1 up, it will be important to score early or not concede a goal at least. So Benfica will need to have rested their more senior and established players to focus on such task ahead.
Even if those who attended the game or Watched it on TV and Stream were there hoping to see the likes of Coentrao and Saviola only but only saw Carole and Jara, it is important to know that when you support Benfica you support the players wearing the shirt, after all the saying ‘Benfica ate de baixo de agua’ (Benfica even under water) should come into effect regardless of the players on show.
But what would I like to see more from Benfica in the next couple of seasons is the acquisition or development of more Portuguese players.
The U18's Dragons arrived at Headstone Manor FC just as the heavens opened and it seemed to dampen their spirits as well as drench their coaching staff and substitutes.
A loose midfield pass led to a counter and a very soft Headstone penalty. The visitors were 2 down shortly after as the keeper came out, no one thought to guard the empty net and the striker composed himself and slotted home. The reaction was good though and the end of the half saw the young Dragons hit the woodwork 3 times and very unlucky to go in 2 goals down. The comeback seemed inevitable after the break but the job was made even harder with the referee awarding another penalty rather than a 6.0 for the dive over the defending Dragon and into the box, 3-0.
However the Dragons are made of stern stuff and after the striker finally found his shooting boots to power one back, the management reshuffled into a 3-5-2 to rescue the situation.
Five minutes later the lead was only one after a good move down the left leaving the Dragons MoM midfielder to slot home at the far post.
The ref however had one more contribution, this time awarding a soft away pen and it was 3-3.
A great comeback in an average performance but the Dragons still left unhappy as they had 3 or 4 good chances to steal all the points at the death but failed to find the target.
FT 3-3
Jorge Jesus has taken a gamble in the selection for the game versus Portimonense.
In what seems like a chance to rest some of the players for the coming European game against PSG in France on Thursday.
First choice keeper Roberto has been rested alongside Fabio Coentrao and Carlos Martins was also allowed to stay home (or watch from the stands).
Jesus has drafted in Jose Fernadez and Airton (should he recover from a mild illness) with Carole the young French left back included in the squad.
With Luisao, Maxi Pereira and Javi Garcia all suspended for the game, Jesus will have to reshuffle the defence whilst giving some players their much needed rest.
Although Benfica will host the team that currently is bottom if the league, Jorge Jesus has promised that the team has the responsibility to win the game, with Portimonense looking to climb off the foot of the table.
The Mister has also expressed his delight at the call up of Salvio and Gaitan into the Argentina for two friendly games.
After having witnessed Braga beat Liverpool 1-0 and their fiercest rivals FC Porto grab a 0-1 victory in Moscow against CSKA, Benfica needed a win to complete the Portuguese hat-trick in the Europa League.
The French side PSG were in no mood to let Benfica play their all out attacking football, with Manager Kombouare stating that the team would be happy top defend and catch Benfica on the counter attack.
The eagles got the game well underway when Gaitan tested Edel with a shot just outside the area, calling for an acrobatic save.
Benfica then went on a defending duty with Erdnic twisting and turning the defence in and out and requiring Roberto do pull a save out of the blue.
But it was PSG that on the 15th minute found the defence out of shape, with Sidnei having drifted away from his man, allowed Luyindula to slip in between Coentrao and beat Roberto on his Left side.
Benfica kept the constant attack towards PSG goal, with mainly the final pass failing them, it was a night where the ball was put on the right and the attacker went left, and what looked like a real misunderstanding between all.
At the back for the duo of Sidnei and Luisao, it was also to be a case of mistaken partnership and communication. With both going for the same ball and failing to header it on the 16th minute, Ednic was found at the far post and from the cross, he had a shot, which hit the post and Sidnei magaged to to just get his head on the ball for a corner.
Benfica were tested and frustrated for a long periods of time and their constant attack meant that the back four was usually left bare. PSG seemed to find the easy pass in between and over Luisao and Sidnei, with Coentrao usually tracking back from his trips forward.
Benfica went on a better run, going over the bar with shots from Cardozo and Carlos Martins. The equalizer came on the 42nd minute when Carlos Martins chipped the ball over, Maxi Pereira slipped in behind Armand and placed it over the out coming Edel for the 1-1.
The second half was a similar affair, but Benfica seemed more on top of the game, but still finding it hard to convert the passing football into goals.
Saviola was brought down in the area by Makonda but the official waved it off.
But it was to be 10 minutes from the end, when Aimar played Jara, who opened up his body, and from just inside the D beat Edel to seal a victory.
A night that the entire Portuguese entry all came away with a win, and according to my fellow Twitter @PaulSeery, such results mean Portugal will have 3 teams in the European Champions League f9r the 12/13 season.
On another note, Benfica looked a team with a good attacking squad, but the likes of Luisao and Sidnei will need to sort themselves out, with the latter needing to step up on all occasions not the odd one. The forward players in Cardozo and Saviola, although two different players in size and technique, could benefit the squad if only they actually played off each other with a better understanding of their movements.
