Benfica set for an explosive EL second leg match with Shakhtar Donetsk
SL Benfica vs Shakhtar Donetsk - 27/02/2020
2083
Benfica host Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday night in desperate need of overturning their 2-1 deficient from their first leg Europa League last 32 match.
The Portuguese league leaders couldn’t prevent Shakhtar Donetsk from winning the first leg but did get an important away goal. However, the bad news for Benfica is a goal for the visitors would almost kill off the tie.
All three goals in the first leg came in the second half as Shakhtar Donetsk’s Alan Patrick opened the scoring on 56 minutes. Benfica’s Pizzi levelled the score on 66 minutes from the penalty spot but Viktor Kovalenko tallied the winner for Shakhtar Donetsk with 18 minutes to go.
Shakhtar outshot Benfica 11-8 and kept 58% of the possession. Benfica manager Bruno Lage will hope his team can get more of a foothold in the second leg or they will be eliminated from the competition. The Eagles reached the quarterfinals a season ago where they were knocked out by Eintracht Frankfurt.
Benfica rebounded from their Europa League first leg loss with a 1-0 win at the weekend against Gil Vincente. Carlos Vinicius scored the only goal of the game in the 15th minute.
Shakhtar Donetsk were also victorious at the weekend claiming a 1-0 win against Desna. The win dramatically came in the fourth minute of second half stoppage-time courtesy of Marlos.
Lage has three issues to concern himself with heading into the game on Thursday night. Gabriel Pires and Jardel are both ruled out of the fixture. Andres Gomes Almeida could return to the team for the game. He is considered a doubt as it stands.
Shakhtar Donetsk could be without the duo of Dentinho and Solomon. Both are doubts heading into the game in Portugal. Shakhtar Donetsk leading scorer Junior Moraes (17 goals) will hope to get the best of Benfica’s recently out of form defence.
Benfica go into the fixture with just one win in their last five games. Three of those matches ended in defeat. Playing at home should help Lage’s team but will it be enough to overturn the tie and progress to the round of 16?
Shakhtar Donetsk simply need a goal to force Benfica to score twice. A 2-1 defeat would still benefit Shakhtar Donetsk and send them through due to away goals.
Benfica should be much better in the second leg and win with both teams scoring. Expect over 2.5 goals to be scored once more but don’t be surprised if Shakhtar Donetsk progress.
Home team
Away team
Pred
Correct score
Avg. goals
Weather conditions
Coef.
Score
Live
coef.
UEL
363529
1
2 - 1
2.88
11°
1.95
1.95
3.80
3.75
1
-1
-1
3 - 3(2 - 1)
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