13 April 2007, by Tom Kundert

Misfiring Benfica see Uefa Cup dream slip away

Benfica 0-0 Espanyol (agg. 2-3)

Benfica’s dream of lifting the Uefa Cup ended last night at the Estadio da Luz after a goalless draw against Espanyol.

The Eagles came desperately close to the goal they needed in the second half with Miccoli and Rui Costa both hitting the post and Nuno Gomes seeing his shot from one metre out miraculously saved by Espanyol goalkeeper Gorka. But the Eagles ultimately paid the price for a nightmare opening hour in the first leg in Barcelona.

Simão: “We lacked luck because we deserved more in this tie.”

Just like last week’s encounter, Benfica put in a disappointing performance in the first 45 minutes of the match.

Indeed, in the first half a well organised Espanyol controlled the match and looked the likelier side to score. In the 11th minute Pandiani skipped past Anderson and hit a sweet cross-shot that sailed over Quim and crashed back into play off the post to the relief of the big crowd in Lisbon.

Benfica’s best chance in first half came in the 27th minute when Nuno Gomes flicked on a corner and David Luiz was a whisker away from getting the crucial touch from point-blank range.

Second half transformation

Fernando Santos must have had some strong words to say to his players during the interval as the home team immediately showed far more urgency.

Benfica gradually turned up the pressure and came close to scoring three times in a ten-minute spell midway through the second half.

First Rui Costa fired a cross low and hard across the box and with Nuno Gomes and Simao closing in on the ball practically on the goal line the breakthrough seemed certain. Gomes made good connection with the ball but directed it too close to Gorka who produced an astonishing diving stop to claw the ball away.

In the 72nd minute Miccoli latched on to the ball on the edge of the box and hit a low shot that cannoned off the post, and two minutes later Rui Costa hit a wonderful free-kick onto the same post with Gorka again beaten.

From that moment onwards the heart ruled the head as Benfica punted the ball forward but failed to create more opportunities. Espanyol were incensed in the 83rd minute when Leo, who put in an otherwise faultless display, brought down Luis Garcia in the box for the clearest penalty of the year but the referee incredibly waved play on.

Despite the introduction of Mantorras, Derlei and Katsouranis Benfica ran out of steam and were left to rue their missed chances and bad luck as another European season came to a flat end. The Lisbon club will now have to lick their wounds and regroup fast as they attempt to make a final push to catch Porto at the top of the table.

PortuGOAL man of the match:
Leo – The pint-sized Brazilian left-back gave another example of tremendous determination and no little skill which deserved a happier outcome.

Benfica:
Quim, Nelson (Derlei, 80), David Luiz, Anderson, Leo, Petit, Karagounis (Katsouranis, 80), Rui Costa, Simao, Miccoli, Nuno Gomes (Mantorras, 69)
Yellow Cards: Rui Costa (29), Karagounis (66)

Espanyol:
Gorka, Zabaleta, Jarque, Torrejo, Chica, Moises, Ito (Eduardo Costa, 53), Luis Garcia, De la Pena (Jonatas, 77), Riera, Pandiani (Coro, 70)
Yellow Cards: Ito (37), Luis Garcia (55), De la Pena (61), Zabaleta (83)