Benfica 0 - Academica 3 - A shot on the foot.

#Photo Credit - Paulo Duarte AP

I've been trying to muster the motivation to write about the game. I'll start by saying that i was fortunate enough to NOT watch this game. After considering simulating a foul in the box to fool my boss into letting me leave early from work to catch the game on tv, I opted out for fair play and resorted to listening to the game through the radio on my phone's media player. A decision that would later prove to have been the wisest.

There were a lot of expectations coming into this game, after a couple good performances in the past couple games, a lot of Benfica fans (myself included) felt that Chalana had finally gotten the right formula, and gotten the team on the right track. The team was finally playing an attractive type of futebol, and despite tying against Boavista, I felt the team was on the right path for the rest of the way and expected the team to come out strong, and easily beat Academica, who is currently fighting to avoid relegation.

Benfica had declared the 11th of April as a day to bring awareness about the slow disappearance of the imperial eagle from Portuguese skies, as some of you know Benfica's mascot, Vitoria, is an imperial eagle. Every home game Vitoria can be seen majestically flying around the stadium a few times before landing on it's perch situated on the field to complete Benfica's crest. Probably the highlight of the night for many in attendance, as Benfica was back to their old ways, as they once again have remained consistent with being unable to dominate a team in their own building.

Chalana started the following 11:

Quim in goal; Nelson, Luisao, Katsouranis and Leo in the back; Petit, Binya, Rui Costa and Rodriguez in the midfield, with Petit playing the d-mid postion. Nuno Gomes supported Cardozo up front.

While the inclusion of the jolly green giant in the back, in detriment of Edcarlos, was no surprise to many, Binya's start was. A definite gamble by Chalana, wanting to take advantage of the Cameroonian's work rate. It was a gamble that could have very well have worked, but like all gambles, the odds must be considered carefully.
It turns that gamble proved to be a bust, as Binya is not adapted to playing on the side of the midfield as Maxi is. Maxi may have his limitations but playing in a lateral position is something he is familiar with.

The game didn't start in the best way for Benfica, as Luisao offered Academica their first goal 3 minutes into the game, as he tried to pass back to Quim, but gave away his intentions which were read perfectly by the Academica player, who beat Quim easily. Down 1-0 Benfica saw themselves trying to get back in the game, but the lack of balance in the midfield, as a result of the nullity of Chalana's Joker, was keeping the team from showing the same flow of game they had shown recently. The defense was shaky making several mistakes which could have proved costly. Up front Cardozo was unable to put away several chances and the team grew uneasy. The second Academica goal came at the 32 minute mark, after Leo commited a foul to stop a player who had just stolen the ball from him, on the ensuing free kick Academica took full advantage of their effectiveness to go up 2-0.
It took Chalana 10 minutes to sub in DiMaria for Binya in an attempt to not only correct his planning mistake, but also to add another offensive player to Benfica's midfield. DiMaria's first touch yielded a ball on the post, and fans started getting the feeling that it was one of those nights. On one side the Benfica's ineffectiveness in front of goal, on the other side the already customary inspiration from Academica's goalie Pedro Roma

Into half time Benfica went, and there was hope that Chalana could put the team at ease, and mount some sort of a come back. In the other locker room, the men in black had to be happy with their efforts, has they had played a strong, solid half in which they were able to follow their game plan to a "T", and still come away with 2 goals as a bonus.

Benfica picked up where they left off, again wasting chances, but not really imposing a dominating game, that would put Academica against the wall. Academica with a well organized defense, was able to keep Benfica off the scoreboard, much of it because of the above mentioned Roma, who served as the last line of defense.
Chalana looked to change things up, and perhaps a little bit of inspiration, by bringing Mantorras on in the 64th minute, Nuno Gomes was the chosen one, and despite not being a threat for most of the game, Nuno Gomes was the link between the midfield and the attack, someone that held ball, and combined with the midfield for the final third transition. With Gome's exit Benfica lost that style of game and started playing a much more direct game, yet, the change proved to be equally ineffective. Academica would light up the scoreboard for a 3rd time a minute later, as they never looked away from the game, and even after getting the second goal, never backed down, and their third goal is the result of that.
In the 73rd minute Chalana went all in, when he decided to sub in Makukula for Leo, but even that move proved to be a bluff. With a man less in the back, Academica came close to the royal flush, hadn't it been for Quim, who once again showed why he is the best Portuguese keeper of the moment, with a brilliant save. Final whistle couldn't come soon enough and the fans let the players hear their displeasure at the end of the game.

After a week where poor refereeing was pointed out as the cause of Benfica's tie last weekend, tonight Benfica has no one to blame but themselves, as they played poorly. a The result might not correctly mirror what happened on the field, however the lost is a just result.
I have never been too big on blaming losses or wins on refereeing, although there have been some cases where the influence is very obvious. I have always chosen to believe that it's up to a team to change their fortune. If the ref makes a bad call - calls back a goal or adjudges a bad offside, a team needs to be back at it again.
If a referee calls a penalty in your favor, you still have to score the penalty, and that can be hard enough(ask Sporting).
Granted you are put in a privileged position on a bad call in your favor, and at a disadvantage when it's against you, but still, a team should be able to control their destiny in the 90+ minutes they are on the pitch.

With the Portuguese Cup Semis right around the corner with an away game against Sporting, Benfica will have to regroup and come back strong, if they're to accomplish the secondary objectives that remain.
With the possibility of both Guimaraes and Sporting winning this weekend, Benfica can find themselves in 4th place, and in a position where they will have to depend on a Sporting or Guimaraes slip in order to ascend in the table.



Highlights