Andreas Schjelderup celebrates his goal
Benfica scored in a 22nd successive game as they defeated Nice 2-0 in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) third qualifying round. No goals in either leg for the Ligue 1 club means the Portuguese side go through to the playoff round thanks to a 4-0 aggregate score.
An imposing sea of red greeted both teams as they made their way onto the Estadio da Luz pitch, with the home support making an incredible noise.
It was Nice who took the early initiative, however, with Terem Moffi just failing to connect with a header but forcing Anatoliy Trubin to punch clear.
Moffi was consistently finding space in behind the Benfica defence and blazed over on seven minutes when well placed.
At the other end, Vangelis Pavlidis missed a similar chance, as pinpoint long balls from Nicolas Otamendi began to cause problems for the Nice backline.
A superb move in the 18th minute got the finish it deserved as Andreas Schjelderup’s wonderful chest control and cross to Fredrik Aursnes saw him open the scoring past the despairing Yehvann Diouf.
That only succeeded in raising the decibel levels further, and it wasn’t long before the roles were reversed and Schjelderup added a second with a low drive from Aursnes’ assist.
With Otamendi equal to everything aerially, a fierce shot against the woodwork from Jonathan Clauss was the closest the visitors came to a response in the first half. Approximately 70% possession was an accurate reflection of how on top Benfica were in the opening 45 minutes, with Nice unable to get out of their own half for long periods.
A delayed kick-off in the second half for no apparent reason appeared to galvanise the French outfit, and they began in the same manner as the first half, with Moffi again making a nuisance of himself.
With the tie already over as a contest, Franck Haise’s side began to play with freedom and took a few risks, leaving themselves completely exposed to swift counter-attacks in the process.
Schjelderup hit the bar with a mishit shot on the hour and was substituted soon after as Bruno Lage made a triple change.0
As Benfica continued to pour forward with 20 minutes to play, they racked up the shot count to 18, including a couple of very presentable chances. Though they didn’t add to the two goals, it was a comprehensive victory.
After ending their five-match winless run at home in the UCL, Benfica have given themselves a great chance at qualifying for the competition proper. Nice, on the other hand, drop into the UEFA Europa League, a competition in which they lost all four of their away games last season.
Check out the match stats here.
[(Shimizu S-Pulse) Weakness]: 1. Shimizu S-Pulse are 13th in the J1 League table. Facing 2nd-placed Kashima Antlers, they will find it hard to win this match due to their declining form, indicating doubtful motivation.2. Shimizu S-Pulse defender Yuji Takahashi and forward Sena Saito will miss this league game due to injuries.3. Shimizu S-Pulse were winless with 2 draws and 3 losses in the last 5 g...
Liverpool table fresh Guehi bidAccording to The Athletic, Liverpool have submitted a fresh bid worth £35 million ($47m) to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace. The Reds had earlier seen two bids rejected by the Eagles, but they remain hopeful that this time the offer will be accepted.Fenerbahce eyeing move for EdersonTurkish Super Lig giants Fenerbahce are eyeing a move for out-of-favour Manc...
Roma medical for Liverpool fullback TsimikasAS Roma are holding a medical for Kostas Tsimikas today.The Liverpool fullback is leaving Anfield after finding himself third-choice this season behind fellow left-backs Andrew Robertson and Milos Kerkez.La Gazzetta dello Sport says the Greece international is expected in Italy today to finalise his move.Tsimikas will undergo a medical ahead of signing a...
FBL-ENG-PR-CHELSEA-FULHAMMarco Silva has demanded an explanation from the Premier League after lambasting three "shocking" refereeing decisions in Fulham's 2-0 Premier League loss at Chelsea.WHAT HAPPENED?The Whites thought they had taken the lead against their west London rivals Chelsea when 18-year-old Josh King coolly slotted past Robert Sanchez. However, the goal was chalked off by referee Rob...
[(Shonan Bellmare) Strength]: 1. Shonan Bellmare are one of the bottom teams in the table, taking 25 points and being in the relegation zone. They are strongly motivated to grab points.[(Shonan Bellmare) Neutral]: 1. Shonan Bellmare drew the last 4 home games, revealing mediocre home performances.[(Shonan Bellmare) Weakness]: 1. Shonan Bellmare lost 1-0 to Fagiano Okayama on the road in the last g...
Manchester United Training Session And Press Conference - UEFA Europa League Final 2025Chelsea have completed the signing of Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United.WHAT HAPPENED?Garnacho has signed a seven-year contract with the Blues after the two Premier League clubs agreed a deal worth a fixed £40 million fee ($54m) with a 10 per cent sell-on clause, Goal understands. The 21-year-old ha...
Marc Guehi Crystal Palace 2025-26Liverpool have launched a fresh bid for Marc Guehi as they hope that Crystal Palace will finally accept their proposal and agree to sell their star defender before the summer transfer window closes on Monday. The Reds have been linked with a move for the England international throughout the summer and the champions are determined to secure his signature.WHAT HAPPEN...
West Ham United v Lille OSC - Pre-Season FriendlyAston Villa are close to signing West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta on an initial loan with an obligation to buy next summer.WHAT HAPPENED?Villa are on the brink of agreeing a £47 million (€54m/$63m) package for Paqueta which includes a loan fee and add-ons, according to Fabrizio Romano. The report also states the 28-year-old has ac...
[(Nagoya Grampus) Strength]: 1. Nagoya Grampus currently have only 28 points and are near the bottom of the league table. To avoid relegation, they need to earn points.[(Nagoya Grampus) Neutral]: 1. Nagoya Grampus' 7 successive games ended with OVER.[(Nagoya Grampus) Weakness]: 1. Nagoya Grampus lost 2-4 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their last Emperor's Cup game, with poor performance.2. In the lates...
Cody Gakpo Liverpool 2025Premier League champions Liverpool have confirmed that star attacker Cody Gakpo has put pen to paper on a new long-term contract, which has extended his stay at Anfield beyond 2028. The Dutchman who joined the club in January 2023, during the Jurgen Klopp era, has established himself as a regular starter under new boss Arne Slot and has now committed his future to the Reds...
