UEFA Champions League play-offs: http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Twente-c39233 Enschede – Match report (Part 1)
SL Benfica sealed their place in the UEFA Champions League group stages following their 3-1 win over FC Twente Enschede in the second-leg of the play-offs round at Estadio da Luz on Wednesday, August 24. The first-leg had ended in a 2-2 stalemate last week.
Following a dominant but an unproductive opening half, the Portuguese giants netted three goals in 20 minutes after the break to ease their way towards a deserved victory in front of their home crowd.
Goals from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Axel-Witsel-c7029 and Luisao were enough for the home side to see off the visitors. A late Bryan Ruiz effort was not enough to stop his side from tumbling out of Europe’s most prestigious club competition, losing out 5-3 on aggregate.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Pablo-Aimar-c28938 supported him from an advanced attacking midfield position.
Nolito and Gaitan penetrated the visitors from wide areas. Witsel operated from central midfield, providing defensive support to Javi Garcia in addition to linking up with the attacking quartet in his usual box-to-box role. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Artur-c6727 Moraes stood tall between the posts.
Co Adriaanse, the Tukkers head coach, opted for a 4-4-2 formation at the start of the match. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Nikolay-Mihaylov-c28019 guarded the net.
The match started in the same way as it did in Enschede a week ago; both sides needed a few minutes to settle down. However, the home side established the rhythm quickly and managed three shots in the opening few minutes.
The first real scoring opportunity for the Eagles came in the 11th minute through Nolito. The winger’s close range chip from left side of the box beat the advancing Mihaylov, but found the side netting, much to the dismay of coach Jesus.
The home side went immensely close to breaking the deadlock, when Aimar collected a through ball from Nolito at the right flank in the 30th minute. Although the former Argentinean International left his marker, his low shot from inside the box went just wide of the post.
The Tukkers’ first real opportunity came nine minutes before the end of the opening half, when Ruiz’s left footed shot flew just wide of the far post.
The home side could have taken the lead in the stoppage time, but Mihaylov easily saved Cardozo’s low effort to keep his side’s chances alive of progressing through to the next phase of the competition. When the referee blew the whistle, the score-line read 0-0.
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