Benfica’s Under-19 side beat Denmark’s Midtjylland 3-2 in a single game this afternoon to secure a spot in the Youth League quarter-finals. The match took place at the Ikast stadium and the reds are now waiting for the winner of Dynamo Kyiv-Sporting – it was also scheduled for this Wednesday, but was postponed due to the Russian military incursion into Ukraine.
Benfica went full throttle and took the lead in the 5th minute through Diego Moreira, but two goals in two minutes by the Danes at 10 and 12 turned the game around. The Reds would still draw before the break, per António Silva.
Came on in the 69th minute, Luís Semedo scored the 3-2 with 10 minutes remaining.
#JuniorsBenfica | ?? Game over | WE’RE IN THE UEFA YOUTH LEAGUE QUARTER-FINALS! ???
? Diego Moreira, António Silva and Luis Semedo.#MadeInBenfica pic.twitter.com/GbUkC9pV1A
— SL Benfica (@SL Benfica) March 2, 2022
Remember the movie of the game:
90’+4 FINAL – Benfica wins by 3-2 and is in the quarter-finals.
90’+4 – Yellow card for André Gomes
90+1 – Red card for João Neves for foul on Oscar Fraulo
90´- Four more minutes to play in Ikast
89´- Martim Neto shoots, Beetson catches
88´ – Replacement at Benfica: departure of Henrique Araújo, entry of João Resende
87´ – Sorensen crossing, João Tomé leaves
84´ – Substitution in Midtjylland: Lauritsen leaves, Gustav Fraulo enters
79′ – BENFICA GOAL, 2-3 by Luis Semedo. João Neves’ cross pierced through the Danish defence, with Semedo heading almost to the back.
76′– Free kick taken by João Tomé, goalkeeper Beetson catches
74′ – Yellow card to Fischer for bringing down Diego Moreira
71′ – Head of António Silva, on the side
70′ – How dangerous! Shot by Henrique Araújo, Diomande crosses the goal line!
69′ – Double replacement at Benfica: departure of Pedro Santos, entry of Luís Semedo; Dear Ndour exits and João Neves enters
66´- Substitution in Midtjylland: Andreasen leaves, Djuric enters
56′– Henrique Araújo shoots against the opponent and wins the corner
55´- Danger for Midtjylland, Jevsenak offers the body and passes the danger
52‘- Match resumed
52´- Match stopped, João Tomé in difficulty
50´- Ndour enters the box, leaves for Pedro Santos, who shoots; Diomande relieves
49′– Center Andreasen, Christensen arrives a little late. Ball on baseline
46′ – Restart the game
46´- Substitution at Benfica: Nuno Félix leaves, Jan Jevsenak enters
BREAK, 2-2
45´- Yellow card for Henrique Araújo
45‘- One more minute to play
43´- Free from Hansen, no danger
41´- Almost a goal for Benfica. Sorensen’s intervention to prevent Ndour’s shot
40´: Benfica have 12 shots, Midtjylland have three.
38′- BENFICA GOAL, 2-2 by Antonio Silva. Free-kick from Henrique Araújo, the ball goes over the Midtjylland defense, and the cross seems to touch the far post.
33´- Double save from the Danish goalkeeper, second from Cher Ndour, responds with his foot
29´- The center of João Tomé, new head of Henrique Araújo absent, ends up leaving injured Lauritsen
26´ – Yellow card for Nuno Félix and Oscar Fraulo
22´- Low shot by Rafael Rodrigues
19´- First corner for Benfica; wins another in a row and Diego Moreira shoots from far above
18′– Henrique Araújo headed in after a cross from the left
17´- Martim Neto shoots from outside the box, holds the keeper
12′ – The Danes react and immediately turn the marker
12′ – GOAL Midtjylland, 2-1 by Christensen. From now on, he does not fail, isolated against André Gomes, he finishes Fraulo’s pass.
ten´ – GOAL by midtjylland: 1-1 by Simsir.
7′– The Danes react: cross from Andreasen on the right, Christensen, at close range, shoots above!
5′ – BENFICA’S GOAL: 0-1 by Diego Moreira. The midfielder steals the ball from the Danish defense (mistake by Fischer) and rushes into the goal beating Beetson
3′- Pedro Santos launched deep, crosses into the area, but Henrique Araújo arrives late. The keeper blocks and holds.
of them- Benfica are among the most eager to try to break through behind the scenes. Diego Moreira’s first attack from the left
1 p.m., 1′- start the game
Pre-match, 12:58 p.m. – Profiled teams in the field
pre-game: Everything is ready in the stadium to receive the teams. Early afternoon with sun, but with 7 degrees.
Here are the teams:
Midtjylland: Nicholas Beetson, Pontus Texel, Mikkel Fischer, Ousmane Diomande, Mads Nybo, Oliver Sorensen, Andreas Nibe, Oscar Fraulo, Valdemar Andreasen, Aral Simsir and Gustav Christensen.
Subs: Christian Rust, Gustav Fraulo, Heini Sørensen, Danijel Djuric, Gabriel Kehinde, Donavan Bagou, Malte Melin.
benfica: André Gomes, João Tomé, Tomás Araújo, António Silva, Rafael Rodrigues, Nuno Félix, Martim Neto, Cher Ndour, Pedro Santos, Henrique Araújo and Diego Moreira.
Substitutes: Ricardo Ribeiro, Martim Ferreira, Jevsenak, João Neves, Ricardo Marques, João Resende and Luís Semedo.
The Eagles have already reached the final three times, although they have never won it.
Coach Luís Castro called up a mix of B-team, Under-23 and junior players. Highlight for the presence of central Tomás Araújo, who made his League debut on Sunday for the main team; also striker Henrique Araújo, who has also been called up by Nélson Veríssimo this season, Cher Ndour, Martin Neto or João Resende, among others.