On Tuesday, Benfica faced Ajax in the fifth round of the UEFA Champions League group stage. This match featured two teams that had yet to score in the competition. The clash marked a crucial opportunity for both clubs to secure early points.
Match Overview and Key Moments
The match commenced with excitement but was immediately marred by an injury incident. Nicolás Otamendi collided with Wout Weghorst just six minutes into the game. The impact left Otamendi struggling, raising concerns over his ability to continue.
In a notable play during the 33rd minute, Ajax’s Davy Klaassen had a golden opportunity to level the score with a shot in the penalty area. However, Benfica’s goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, made a remarkable save to maintain the lead.
Scoring Details
Benfica took the lead early in the game. The first goal came after a corner kick, where Samuel Dahl delivered a powerful shot into the top corner, netting the ball after a deflection from Ajax’s goalkeeper, Jaros. This goal came after a controversial non-offside decision regarding Leandro Barreiro.
Team Lineups
Here are the starting lineups for both teams:
Benfica Starting XI
- Trubin
- Dedic
- António Silva
- Otamendi
- Samuel Dahl
- Barrenechea
- Ríos
- Aursnes
- Leandro Barreiro
- Sudakov
- Pavlidis
Ajax Starting XI
- Jaros
- Regeer
- Sutalo
- Baas
- Wijndal
- Klaassen
- Itakura
- Kenneth Taylor
- Bounida
- Weghorst
- Godts
As the game progressed, both teams aimed to capitalize on their chances and gain a much-needed victory. The injury to Otamendi could potentially impact Benfica’s defensive strategy moving forward.
For further updates, fans can follow the game commentary available on El-Balad.
