Benfica Battles Qarabag! Champions League Thriller Unfolds!
Benfica kicked off their Champions League campaign against Qarabag in a match filled with drama and excitement. The game, held amidst some fan discontent towards coach Bruno Lage, saw Benfica grab an early lead but face a resilient Qarabag side.
Early Benfica Dominance
Enzo Barrenechea opened the scoring for Benfica in the 6th minute, capitalising on a corner delivered by Sudakov. Benfica quickly doubled their advantage in the 16th minute after a defensive mishap from Qarabag allowed Pavlidis a clear path to goal.
Qarabag Fights Back
Despite the early setback, Qarabag refused to back down. Leandro Andrade pulled one back for the visitors in the 31st minute with a stunning first-time strike. Just moments later, Kady Borges hit the post, and Zoubir was denied an equaliser by an incredible save from Benfica goalkeeper Trubin.
Starting Lineups
Benfica: Trubin, Dedić, António Silva, Otamendi, Samuel Dahl, Enzo Barrenechea, Richard Ríos, Aursnes, Sudakov, Schjelderup, Pavlidis.
Qarabag: Kochalski, Matheus Silva, Kevin Medina, Mustafazada, Cafarquliyev, Pedro Bicalho, Marko Jankovic, Kady Borges, Leandro Andrade, Zoubir, Kashchuk.
The match promised further excitement as it restarted, with both teams hungry for victory in their opening Champions League fixture.