Portuguese journalists praised Benfica for a confident victory over Dynamo in the first leg of the Champions League playoff round (2:0). They note that the Ukrainians played poorly, creating chances in attack hard, but at the same time they could not play reliably in defense. In Portugal, almost no one doubts that Benfica will beat Dynamo and play in the group stage of the Champions League.
record
Benfica are confidently moving into the group stage after defeating Dynamo, writes a journalist from the Record website. He notes not only the good game of the Portuguese, but also the conversion of chances, as well as the reliable game of Vlachomos.
— Benfica beat Dynamo 2-0 away. The Portuguese club was considered the favorite to face the draw right away, but their advantage had to be proved on the field. The goals of Gilberto and Ramos helped the guests feel confident and after that no one had any questions about who would win the match. Anything can happen in football, so it was important for Benfica to responsibly approach the implementation of moments. Luckily, the Eagles didn't have any problems with that that evening. Yes, in some situations, Vlachodimos saved Benfica from unnecessary problems, but in general, Dynamo's weak game can be noted. After the Ukrainians passed Fenerbahce and Sturm, everyone expected more from them.
Of course, we have a return match ahead of us. 90 minutes of hope for Ukrainians. But it seems that in Portugal no one doubts who will advance to the group stage of the Champions League. Benfica's victory over Dynamo in the first match turned out to be too easy».
A Bola
Benfica has almost earned 38 million euros,” the A Bola journalist focuses on the financial component. He reminds that Benfica has a lot of problems, so reaching the group stage of the Champions League can help the Portuguese club pay off its creditors, as well as spend money to strengthen the team, including keeping the leaders of Benfica.
- There is nothing surprising in the fact that Benfica beat Dynamo so easily. One team continues to invest heavily in strengthening the squad and new coaching staff. And the other thinks about survival, forced to play in a foreign country, and the coach has to rely on young players who do not have experience playing at this level. It would be strange if Benfica experienced problems with Dynamo today.
The Ukrainians played aggressively, but this did not help them to even draw. Dynamo did not look as good as it did in the matches with Fenerbahce or Sturm. First of all, because of Benfica's confident and calm game, which converted their chances and scored two goals in the first half.
In the second half of the meeting, the teams exchanged dangerous moments, but did not score goals. A 2-0 victory allows Benfica to feel confident ahead of the second leg. And even think about the group stage of the Champions League. The Eagles will receive 38 million euros from UEFA if everything goes well in Lisbon. Benfica should go further, but it is important not to relax and play just as effectively in Portugal".
Mais Futebol
“Millions at the end of the tunnel,” Mais Futebol, a journalist from the website, also reminds readers that reaching the group stage of the Champions League is, first of all, huge prize money from UEFA. This is money that both teams really need. And on this evening, Benfica came close to receiving these prize money.
- The unconditional victory of the team of Roger Schmidt only emphasized what we all knew even before the match: Benfica are the clear favorites of this confrontation and should advance to the group stage of the Champions League. The first half was left for the guests, who scored two goals, after which they decided to take a short break. The Ukrainians looked better in the second half, but this was not enough even to score at least one goal.
In fact, Benfica, even in the first half, could score more and end the match with an even more confident victory. At least 3:0, but Neres and Rafa Silva failed to realize their chances.
Dynamo did not play as brightly and confidently as it was in the previous qualifying rounds. Yes, Vlachodimos had to work hard, but in general Dynamo's game looked chaotic.
After such a confident victory, Benfica is one step closer to the group stage of the Champions League. And also in order to earn prize money from UEFA. But it is important not to forget that Lucescu is an experienced coach who will try to surprise Schmidt in the second leg. Therefore, Benfica will have to play just as reliably in defense and try to use their chances at the Dynamo goal even better. Then Benfica will have no problems getting into the next round. In the meantime, you can just be glad that the Eagles are so confidently beating rather difficult opponents in the Champions League".
Anton PROKOPOV
