Benfica 5-1 Club Brugge: Goncalo Ramos scores twice as Scott Parker's side are crushed in Champions League
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Updated 07/03/2023 at 22:24 GMT
Benfica secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in impressive style as they crushed Scott Parker’s Club Brugge 5-1 in the second leg of their last-16 tie to secure a 7-1 aggregate win. Goncalo Ramos scored twice for Benfica, and there were also goals from Joao Mario, David Neres and Rafa Silva. Parker's side have won just two of their last 12 matches in all competitions.
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Goncalo Ramos scored twice and assisted once to send Benfica to the quarter-finals of the Champions League as they beat Club Brugge 5-1 in the second leg of their last-16 tie at the Estadio da Luz to secure a 7-1 aggregate win.
Benfica had the ball in the back of the net within two minutes from a Joao Mario backheel, but the goal was chalked off due to Ramos being offside in the build-up.
The hosts were well on top for the majority of the half, and eventually scored their opener in the 38th minute, with Ramos crossing the ball to Rafa Silva who controlled and found some space before slotting into the corner of the far post.
The second was scored just on the brink of half-time, with Ramos skipping past several challenges in the box before firing a low shot.
It was more of the same in the second half, and in the 57th minute, Ramos completed his brace with a powerful near-post finish.
Joao Mario scored the fourth goal from the spot, sending Simon Mignolet the wrong way, after Abakar Sylla’s rash challenge on Gilberto earned Benfica a penalty.
Substitute David Neres scored in the 77th minute after drilling the ball into the far corner. It was initially ruled offside by the linesman, but VAR reversed the decision to give Benfica their fifth of the night.
Bjorn Meijer grabbed a late consolation goal for the visitors to make it 5-1 in the 87th minute.
Up next, Benfica will continue their hunt for the domestic title against Maritimo, while Scott Parker's Club Brugge will hope to turn around their form against Standard Liege.
TALKING POINT: PARKER TO LEAVE CLUB BRUGGE?
Another poor display from Club Brugge means that Scott Parker has yet to evade the hot seat.
Tonight's display showed just how poor the Belgian side are under his management: no attacking plan, no cohesion in defence, and a midfield that specialised in consistently getting run over. Benfica played well, but Brugge allowed them all the space and the time in the world to score seven goals over two legs.
It’s hard to imagine how the Englishman can turn this around, and with two wins in 12 games, it may be best for all parties to bid farewell.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: GONCALO RAMOS
Benfica as a whole were impressive in their bid to make it to the quarter-finals, but Goncalo Ramos showed his killer instinct.
He constantly terrorised Brugge's back line as he always seemed one step ahead of everyone in terms finding space and creating gaps. With two goals, an assist, one key pass, and 3/3 successful dribbles, he becomes the youngest Portuguese player to score twice in a Champions League knockout stage match and the first Benfica player to be directly involved in three-plus goals in a Champions League match since Carlos Martins in November 2010 against Lyon.
PLAYER RATINGS
BENFICA: Odysseas Vlachodimos 6, Alejandro Grimaldo 8, Nicolas Otamendi 7, Antonio Silva 7, Alexander Bah 7, Chiquinho 7, Florentino 7, Fredrik Aursnes 7, Rafa Silva 8, Joao Mario 8, Goncalo Ramos 9.
SUBS: Gilberto 6, David Neres 7, Felipe Morato 6, Joao Neves 6, Lucas Verissimo N/A.
CLUB BRUGGE: Simon Mignolet 4, Abakar Sylla 4, Brandon Mechele 4, Clinton Mata 4, Bjorn Meijer 6, Kamal Sowah 5, Hans Vanaken 4, Casper Nielsen 5, Tajon Buchanan 5, Roman Yaremchuk 5, Noa Lang 5.
SUBS: Raphael Onyedika 5, Denis Odoi 5, Ferran Jutgla 6, Mats Rits 5, Antonio Nusa 5.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
38' - GOAL! BENFICA 1-0 CLUB BRUGGE (3-0 on agg.): IT'S BEEN COMING, AND BENFICA FINALLY GET THEIR GOAL! They have by far been the better side, and the lead is much deserved. Ramos finds Rafa Silva, who with his back to goal, shrugs off the defender, turns, and shoots it straight into the corner at the far post!
45 +2' - GOAL! BENFICA 2-0 CLUB BRUGGE (4-0 on agg.): BENFICA GET THEIR SECOND RIGHT BEFORE HALF-TIME! What a run from Ramos! He starts out on the left, and evades defenders left and right as he comes into the box and scores.
57' - GOAL! BENFICA 3-0 CLUB BRUGGE (5-0 on agg.): BENFICA ARE FLYING HIGH AS RAMOS SCORES HIS SECOND OF THE NIGHT! Club Brugge are just so weak at the back, and Benfica are just having fun toying with them at the moment. The cross comes in, and it's just too easy for Ramos to find the back of the net, with no one near the Benfica striker.
71' - GOAL! BENFICA 4-0 CLUB BRUGGE (6-0 on agg.): Benfica get a penalty after Sylla fouls Gilberto in the box. Joao Mario steps up and scores the club's fourth of the night!
77' - IT'S ALMOST FIVE: The ball is in the back of the net, but the linesman puts the flag up! VAR is checking to confirm...
78' - GOAL! BENFICA 5-0 CLUB BRUGGE (7-0 on agg.): SCRATCH THAT! IT'S A GOAL! Neres has been on for 15 minutes, and he's got in on the action with a great finish at the far bottom corner.
87' - GOAL! BENFICA 5-1 CLUB BRUGGE (7-1 on agg.): BRUGGE HAVE SCORED A GOAL! It obviously doesn't mean much, but Meijer scores the consolation, a great, curling shot at the far post.
KEY STATS
- Benfica have reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup/UEFA Champions League in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1967/68 and 1968/69.
- Club Brugge conceded five-plus goals away from home in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League for the first time since a 6-1 defeat to Monaco in November 1988.
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