After two victories by the minimum margin and guaranteed qualification for the final four, Benfica finished the Elite Round of the Futsal Champions League in the best possible way, with a 10-1 rout in Kosovo over Prishtina, host of Group A .
The Reds were superior and, unsurprisingly, took the lead through Afonso Jesus, with Diego Nunes increasing the advantage and Afonso again taking the lead before the break. In the second half, Mário Silva’s team turned on the ‘machine’ and scored… seven times. “The game brought an individual and collective commitment to Benfica’s international dimension. We left this competition with the feeling of duty fulfilled with distinction”, stressed the Reds’ coach. In the other groups, the highlight was the qualification of Erick and André Coelho’s Barcelona, who got the better of Ricardinho’s Riga (3-2). Palma, current European champions – they beat Sporting in the last final – also qualified despite the draw (2-2) with HIT Kiev.
Today, Sporting and Anderlecht face each other to decide who will return to the finals, in which the Lions defeated the Belgians (7-1) in the semi-finals last season. The three-time national champions only need a draw as they have an advantage on goal difference. “We have everything we need to win and not need a draw. It’s always good to play with two results, but the focus is on victory”, said captain João Matos, who returns from suspension.
By Francisco Guerra
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2023-12-03 02:26:33
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