Portuguese League Cup boosts Benfica Published: Wednesday 7 May 2014, 23.54CET
In the first of three finals in less than a fortnight, SL Benfica captured the Portuguese League Cup by beating Rio Ave FC 2-0 in Leiria. Rodrigo and Luisão were on target for Benfica, who also face Rio Ave in the Portuguese Cup final on Oeiras 18 May. Four days earlier, Benfica are in Turin to take on Sevilla FC for the UEFA Europa League dedider.
Before the game, Rio Ave coach, Nuno Espírito Santo, said he knew "how to hurt" Benfica, and his team surged into action, especially down the wings.
On five minutes Pedro Santos raced down the right, cut inside and sent in a venomous shot that Jan Oblak tipped away.
After that, Benfica took control with forward Rodrigo emerging as the main threat. In the 18th minute,
he came close from a free-kick and late in the half Ventura kept out his low shot after Guilherme Siqueira's cut-back.
However, from the resulting corner Rodrigo produced a precise shot after Rúben Amorim jumped high to glance the ball into his path.
In the second half, Rio Ave tried to fight back, but Benfica kept pressing. Lima and Nicolas Gaitán were left frustrated by Ventura.
However, the young keeper was caught out when he advanced and missed the ball, allowing Luisão to head into an empty net for the second part of what Liga champions Benfica will hope ends up as a quadruple.
It was the fifth time Benfica had won the seven-year-old League Cup. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/newsid=2102096.html[ 此帖被羅力亞在2014-05-08 14:30重新編輯 ]
