Benfica 2-1 Galatasaray
Rui Vitória's Benfica side continued their impressive Champions League campaign with a fully deserved 2-1 victory over Turkish champions Galatasaray at the Estádio da Luz tonight.
Goals from Jonas and Luisão gave the Eagles the three points and put them top of Group C, virtually assured of their place in the round of 16 with two matchdays still to play.
Benfica may have had some indifferent performances and disappointing results in domestic play, but the Portuguese champions are in the midst of their best Champions League campaign in years. The spectacular win at Atletico Madrid put the Lisbon giants in a strong position, and that advantage was rammed home tonight with a third victory in four matches in this season's competition.
The hosts started brightly, with Gaitán showing some typically audacious skill to swivel and dribble past his man and shoot into the side-netting in the opening exchanges. It set the tone for 25 minutes of one-way traffic. Jiménez forced Muslera into a sharp save, Gaitán lifting the rebound over the bar, Guedes tried his luck but shot over, and Jonas tested the Argentine goalkeeper twice in quick succession as Benfica poured forward.
But Galatasaray weathered the storm and came back into the match as the half progressed, Wesley Sneijder a constant threat with his quick thinking and inventive passing.
Whatever Rui Vitória said to his team at the break had the desired effect as Benfica again started the second half with purpose, applying heavy pressure on the visitors. The breakthrough arrived in the 52nd minute. Gaitán flighted a free kick towards goal where Jardel headed towards the 6-yard box, Luisão took a swing at the ball, missed it but inadvertently teed up Jonas, who smashed the ball into the ground and into the net.
The lead did not last long however. Podolski profited from some slack defending by Benfica, who failed to clear their lines, the German striker hitting a fierce angled shot across Júlio César and into the net.
Captain to the rescue
Benfica reacted well to the set-back and again piled forward in search of the go-ahead goal. It duly arrived in the 67th minute, centre-back Luisão latching onto a corner, controlling the ball and hitting a fine finish into the top corner that a seasoned striker would have been proud of.
With Galatasaray throwing on attacking substitutions the game opened up making for an exhilarating last 20 minutes. The home team spurned several chances to make the game safe, with Jiménez the chief culprit, one particularly bad miss after Gaitán had set him up expertly in a rapid counter-attack.
And the Turks almost made Benfica pay, especially in a furious last 5 minutes after Benfica had been reduced to ten men with Gaitán picking up a second yellow card. First Inan thundered a long-range effort just wide, then Oztekin seemed certain to score as the ball fell to him with Júlio César out of position, but the substitute lifted his shot over the bar.
A draw would have been harsh on Benfica, and with the other game in the group having finished Astana 0-0 Atlético Madrid earlier in the afternoon, it was a perfect Champions League night for the home fans who gave their players a rousing send-off at the final whistle.
by Tom Kundert, at the Estádio da Luz
Benfica: Júlio César, Sílvio, Luisão, Jardel, Eliseu, André Almeida, Gonçalo Guedes (Carcela, 73’), Talisca (Cristante, 93’), Gaitán, Jonas (Pizzi, 81’), Jiménez
Galatasaray: Muslera, Sarioglu, Denayer (Colak, 74’), Chedjou, Balta, Inan, Kisa (Oztekin, 69’), Sneijder, Podolski, Adin, Burak Yilmaz (Bulut, 74’)
Goals:
[1-0] Jonas, 52’
[1-1] Podolski, 58’
[2-1] Luisão, 67’
