2012-11-20: Benfica 2-1 Celtic, European Cup

Match Pictures | Matches: 2012 – 2013 | 2012-13 Pictures

Trivia

• Champions League 2012-13, round 5.
• Celtic drop to third in group. Guaranteed UEFA cup entry. However need Barcelona to take points off Benfica in last game and at same time Celtic to beat Spartak at home (or draw at least if Barcelona win).
• Third time Celtic playing Benfica away in champions league group stages! We scored this time though.
• Samaras scores again, he loves the Champions League. How come he struggles in the SPL?
• Samaras creates record as scores in fifth consecutive away match in Europe, a Celtic record.
• Barcelona 3 0 Spartak in other match. Spartak to finish bottom!
• Daily Record claims that Benfica goalkeeper labelled Celtic as negative and boring. YAWN!
• Scott Brown warning that he may need operation on his hip that will keep him out for ten weeks. He was slow and awkward in this game.
• Rangers (oldco) big tax case first ruling released, finds partially in Rangers favour, however players etc can be chased for unpaid taxes. Appeal assumed likely.

Review

(from Arsene Parselie of KDS)
Our performance last night was poor in the main and Benfica created enough to deserve the win.

The game was pretty much the same pattern as the other CL group games, they attacked and we hoped to counter, except last night there was no chance to support the forwards who weren't on form last night.

We generally look technically inferior with regard to ball retention, grace under pressure and chance creation. Sometimes we have looked amateurish in comparison to the possession play of the others (regardless of who they are).

We have only looked decent on a few occasions during all of the matches.

We have had 30 odd shots for and 100 odd shots against in the 5 games.
That speaks volumes for the amount of pressure we have had to soak up and it is to our credit that we haven't let in more due to defensive discipline, riding our luck and great goalkeeping which has helped keep the goals against down.

We are competing at a level above our "skill" allocation and are making a decent fist of it. The team are not letting any of us down. There have been no embarrassing humpings.
We have not spent a great deal on players compared to other teams from better leagues who are expected to be better but are underperforming and will end up more disappointed than us.

We have one more game to win to (possibly) qualify for the next level. A home game where we, the crowd, will have to stay patient and supportive. We could quite easily lose this game while playing well, because Spartak are no pushover.

No matter what happens, we have had a great campaign and the Barcelona home game will live long in the memory, and we'll have at least one decent European tie after Christmas, which is something to look forward to, no matter which competition we're in.

There's no point in dwelling on getting beaten by a team who are supposed to be better than us, and their recent CL history would tend to back that up.

All we can do is hope Barcelona beat Benfica and we don't lose, as that would be an anti-climactic end to this campaign.

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Stats

Benfica Celtic

Possession
39% 61%
90mins

Shots
24 9

On target
12 5

Corners
10 3

Fouls
10 14

Articles

More misadventures in Stadium of Gloom

Stewart Fisher
Sports Writer

The Herald

LISBON circa 1967 is a time which will resonate with Celtic supporters forever but it was also pretty much the last occasion the Parkhead club managed to get a positive result in the city.

In the years since those heady events in the Estadio Nacional, trips to the Portuguese capital have had a fair old habit of puncturing the Parkhead club's ego and last night that trend continued.

Three times on European Cup or Champions League duty before last night Celtic had travelled to the Estadio da Luz, losing seven goals without reply, with their sole victory of sorts coming in an infamous coin toss in a darkened ante room after a 3-0 defeat which settled a second-round tie back in November 1969. The rain poured down in Portugal last night and Neil Lennon will be at pains to ensure that it doesn't unduly dampen the mood.

The evening started well for the Parkhead club, Barcelona's victory in Moscow guaranteeing them Europa League football beyond Christmas at least, but when the dust had settled last night's result means Celtic go into the final matchday against Spartak Moscow knowing they must better the result which Benfica achieve at Camp Nou. If the bad news is that the Catalan giants are already through, the good news is that Moscow are now out of contention and have nothing more than pride at stake.

Celtic's task, however, was made immeasurably more difficult by the late booking picked up by Victor Wanyama for a rather innocuous late challenge with five minutes left of play which rules him out of that match, and the news that Scott Brown's battle against a chronic hip complaint is most likely over and he will now need surgery.

In light of such misadventures at this venue, even Celtic contriving to score an away goal has to go down as something of an achievement. Their first at this venue was deceptively simple, courtesy of another pinpoint Charlie Mulgrew corner-kick delivery, Gary Hooper crowded the space of goalkeeper Artur in the six-yard box and a gleeful Georgios Samaras headed in his fourth goal in five away matches, or fifth in five if you are inclined to count his contribution to the own goal at Camp Nou.

It arrived on the half hour to draw Celtic level after Ola John's opener, but only served to paint a rather false impression upon proceedings. Because this was Celtic's least convincing display of the campaign to date, and when you looked back over the chances it was only a testament to the continued excellence of Fraser Forster in goal and some last-ditch challenges that this match still contained intrigue into the final minute. Considering Celtic's Champions League travails on their travels during the Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan eras, such a scenario told you much about the fortitude of Lennon's side.

Celtic took shelter from the elements at half-time with parity on the scoreboard but while the travelling support waited for them to stem the tide all they got was wave after wave of relentless red. Oscar Cardozo, the man who scored the late winner on Celtic's last visit, forced a couple of saves from Forster which were the equal of anything he was called upon to produce against the Catalans. Lima, a tricky wee figure who had featured against Celtic for Braga in Lennon's debut campaign, embarrassed Efe Ambrose out wide only for Adam Matthews to hack clear on the line.

Yet somehow the Parkhead side held on until 18 minutes from the end, when a deep cross from the excellent Nemanja Matic, led to a combination between the two home centre-backs. Luisao, restored after a two- month ban for pushing a referee, won the knock-down and Ezequiel Garay rammed in the volley with aplomb.

On came the cavalry as Celtic chased a point they scarcely deserved but the break of the ball deserted them at a crucial moment. Benfica have been a good luck charm for the Parkhead club in this competition, having been present in the club's groups in 2006 and 2007 when they made it into the last 16. But it certainly didn't seem like it last night.

BBC

By Alasdair Lamont BBC Scotland at Estadio da Luz

Celtic missed out on an opportunity to clinch qualification to the Champions League knockout stage as they suffered defeat in Lisbon.

Benfica took an early lead when Ola John lashed the ball into the net from eight yards.

Georgios Samaras headed the equaliser from Charlie Mulgrew's corner.

The Portuguese side pummelled Celtic in search of a winner and it came through Ezequiel Garay, who volleyed emphatically past Fraser Forster.

The result, undeniably a just one, is by no means catastrophic for Celtic, who can still reach the last 16 if they gain more points than Benfica in the final round of matches.

Celtic host Spartak Moscow, who cannot now reach the Europa League, while Benfica travel to Barcelona.

Neil Lennon had underlined the difficulty of the task facing his side in the Estadio da Luz and the pattern of the match proved the Celtic manager correct.

Celtic were given a first-minute warning of the importance of ball retention as Samaras was robbed inside his own half, allowing Oscar Cardozo a sight of goal, but the Paraguayan's drive flew too high.

It was another lapse that cost Celtic the opening goal. Adam Matthews ****** his clearance in the left-back position and Eduardo Salvio was quick to pounce, firing the ball into the six-yard box.
Samaras had equalised for Celtic before half-time in Lisbon

Samaras had equalised for Celtic before half-time in Lisbon

Cardozo touched it back to John, who hammered it beyond Forster.

That set the tone for the opening period, as Benfica sprayed passes left and right, with Salvio and Lima displaying fantastic individual skills.

It took Celtic until around the 20-minute mark to settle and begin to come to terms with the Portuguese side's superb movement.

Celtic almost contributed to a second Benfica goal after half an hour as Salvio latched on to a short Kelvin Wilson pass, beat Victor Wanyama in a 50-50 before slipping in Cardozo, who should have done better than to hit the side-netting.

And, incredibly, with their first attempt on goal, Celtic equalised moments later in familiar fashion.

Mulgrew swung in a deep corner kick from the right and the unmarked Samaras nodded into an empty net from little more than a yard out.

Benfica looked flattened by that turn of events, although they showed their class again just before the break as Cardozo, Lima and Salvio combined to set up John, but Forster's left leg denied him a second goal.

Lima, playing just behind Cardozo, continued to dazzle Celtic at the outset of the second half and, after he had skinned Efe Ambrose on the left of the box, his shot beat Forster, but there was Matthews on the line to atone for his error at the first goal.

Forster made a comfortable save – again from Lima – following a defence-splitting pass by Nemanja Matic, before Salvio somehow failed to connect with the ball six yards out and with the goal at his mercy.
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In truth, Benfica's second goal was coming and, when it did, it arrived with some style.

Luisao, still upfield following a corner kick, headed the ball into the path of his central defensive partner, Garay, who thumped a volley past the keeper from eight yards.

Wanyama almost produced an immediate response, but Artur got down to push his curling effort away, setting off a Benfica attack that culminated with Salvio hitting the bar with an audacious drive from 30 yards.

Forster saved superbly from Cardozo twice, while Celtic's only chance in the closing stages to grab an equaliser was a weak effort by substitute Tony Watt.

So it all boils down to the final matches in the group, with Celtic unable to call upon Wanyama for the visit of Spartak, the midfielder having picked up a booking to earn him a suspension.

Live Text Commentary
90:00 +3:39 Full time

Full Time The referee signals the end of the game.
90:00 +2:34

Beram Kayal has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the left of the goal.
90:00 +0:26

The ball is delivered by Beram Kayal, Tony Watt has shot on goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
90:00 +0:26 Substitution

Substitution Vieira Jardel on for Eduardo Salvio.
90:00 +0:26 Booking

Booking Andre Almeida booked.
90:00 +0:16

Andre Almeida challenges Georgios Samaras unfairly and gives away a free kick.
89:40

Nicolas Gaitan produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the goal.
89:17

Corner taken short by Nicolas Gaitan.
88:40

Oscar Cardozo takes a shot. Save made by Fraser Forster.
87:54

Oscar Cardozo takes a shot. Fraser Forster makes a comfortable save.
87:25

Tony Watt takes a shot. Comfortable save by Guilherme Artur Moraes.
86:25

Tony Watt gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Victorio Maxi Pereira. Anderson Luisao takes the free kick.
84:57

Ezequiel Garay takes the direct free kick.
84:57 Booking

Booking Booking for Victor Wanyama for unsporting behaviour.
84:42

Victor Wanyama concedes a free kick for a foul on Nicolas Gaitan.
83:32

Beram Kayal takes a shot. Comfortable save by Guilherme Artur Moraes.
82:51

Victor Wanyama gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Eduardo Salvio. Eduardo Salvio takes the direct free kick.
81:30

Unfair challenge on Lorenzo Melgarejo by Kris Commons results in a free kick. Enzo Perez takes the free kick.
80:45

Lorenzo Melgarejo produces a cross, Fraser Forster makes a save.
80:17

Short corner taken by Ola John.
78:50

Strike on goal comes in from Oscar Cardozo from the free kick, save made by Fraser Forster.
78:50 Substitution

Substitution Tony Watt is brought on as a substitute for Joe Ledley.
78:50

Free kick awarded for a foul by Efe Ambrose on Nicolas Gaitan.
76:25

Free kick taken by Victor Wanyama.
76:25 Substitution

Substitution Victorio Maxi Pereira on for Nemanja Matic.
76:25 Booking

Booking Lorenzo Melgarejo goes into the book.
76:12

Lorenzo Melgarejo gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Beram Kayal.
74:50 Substitution

Substitution Nicolas Gaitan is brought on as a substitute for Rodrigo Lima.
73:50

Eduardo Salvio takes a shot.
72:57

Victor Wanyama takes a shot. Comfortable save by Guilherme Artur Moraes. Mikael Lustig takes a shot from 12 yards. Save made by Guilherme Artur Moraes.
70:53

The assist for the goal came from Anderson Luisao.
70:53 Goal scored

Goal – Ezequiel Garay – Benfica 2 – 1 Celtic A goal is scored by Ezequiel Garay from close range to the bottom right corner of the goal. Benfica 2-1 Celtic.
70:04

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Eduardo Salvio, save made by Fraser Forster.
69:52

Enzo Perez sends in a cross, clearance by Efe Ambrose.
69:15

Rodrigo Lima produces a cross.
69:15

The ball is swung over by Rodrigo Lima.
67:39

Ola John sends in a cross, Header from close in by Oscar Cardozo misses to the right of the target.
67:00

Rodrigo Lima takes a shot. Fraser Forster makes a save.
64:48

Corner taken left-footed by Kris Commons from the right by-line, clearance made by Guilherme Artur Moraes.
66:27

Unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras by Nemanja Matic results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Beram Kayal.
64:48

Corner taken left-footed by Joe Ledley, Guilherme Artur Moraes manages to make a clearance.
62:56 Substitution

Substitution Scott Brown leaves the field to be replaced by Kris Commons.
62:05

The ball is sent over by Andre Almeida, Fraser Forster makes a comfortable save.
61:05

Effort from outside the penalty box by Nemanja Matic goes wide left of the target.
60:57

Centre by Eduardo Salvio, Efe Ambrose manages to make a clearance.
60:25

Short corner taken by Ola John from the left by-line.
60:01

A cross is delivered by Rodrigo Lima, clearance by Joe Ledley.
57:51

Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Ola John, Victor Wanyama manages to make a clearance. Shot from deep inside the area by Anderson Luisao clears the bar.
56:22

Unfair challenge on Beram Kayal by Enzo Perez results in a free kick. Mikael Lustig restarts play with the free kick.
55:57

Effort on goal by Rodrigo Lima from just inside the area clears the bar.
55:36

Outswinging corner taken by Eduardo Salvio, clearance by Kelvin Wilson.
55:07

Andre Almeida takes a shot. Adam Matthews gets a block in.
54:47

Gary Hooper gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Anderson Luisao. Direct free kick taken by Anderson Luisao.
54:37

Eduardo Salvio sends in a cross, clearance made by Kelvin Wilson.
52:23

Eduardo Salvio takes a shot. Adam Matthews gets a block in.
52:23

Eduardo Salvio takes a shot. Kelvin Wilson gets a block in.
51:19

Gary Hooper fouled by Lorenzo Melgarejo, the ref awards a free kick. Adam Matthews restarts play with the free kick.
50:35

Enzo Perez sends in a cross, clearance by Efe Ambrose. Eduardo Salvio takes the outswinging corner, Efe Ambrose makes a clearance.
48:10

Eduardo Salvio delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel, Kelvin Wilson manages to make a clearance.
48:10 Booking

Booking Joe Ledley receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
48:00

Free kick awarded for a foul by Joe Ledley on Andre Almeida.
45:32 Substitution

Substitution (Celtic) makes a substitution, with Beram Kayal coming on for Charlie Mulgrew.
45:01

The second half begins.
45:00 +1:17 Half time

Half Time The half-time whistle blows.
45:00 +0:11

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Ola John, Foul by Anderson Luisao on Fraser Forster, free kick awarded. Fraser Forster restarts play with the free kick.
44:37

Eduardo Salvio takes a shot. Joe Ledley gets a block in.
44:04

Eduardo Salvio produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the goal.
43:41

Corner taken right-footed by Ola John from the left by-line, clearance by Kelvin Wilson.
43:19

Rodrigo Lima sends in a cross, Ola John takes a shot. Save by Fraser Forster.
41:44

Foul by Victor Wanyama on Rodrigo Lima, free kick awarded. Nemanja Matic takes the direct free kick.
41:11

Shot on goal by Eduardo Salvio from just inside the area clears the crossbar.
39:58

Nemanja Matic takes a shot. Kelvin Wilson gets a block in. Eduardo Salvio decides to take the corner short.
38:51

Scott Brown crosses the ball, Headed chance falls to Gary Hooper, Ezequiel Garay makes a clearance. Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew from the right by-line to the near post, Ola John manages to make a clearance.
37:59

Ezequiel Garay takes the free kick.
37:59 Booking

Booking The referee shows Georgios Samaras a yellow card.
37:55

Georgios Samaras gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Eduardo Salvio.
37:07

Georgios Samaras gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Nemanja Matic. Free kick crossed by Ola John, clearance by Kelvin Wilson.
35:27

Centre by Charlie Mulgrew.
34:22

Shot from just outside the box by Georgios Samaras misses to the left of the goal.
34:11

Charlie Mulgrew produces a cross, Ezequiel Garay makes a clearance.
33:10

Effort from outside the box by Enzo Perez goes wide right of the target.
32:36

Enzo Perez takes a shot. Kelvin Wilson gets a block in.
31:04 Goal scored

Goal – Georgios Samaras – Benfica 1 – 1 Celtic Georgios Samaras finds the net with a headed goal from close range. Benfica 1-1 Celtic.
30:40

Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Charlie Mulgrew,
30:02

The ball is swung over by Andre Almeida, Enzo Perez has an effort at goal from 18 yards. Save made by Fraser Forster.
29:09

Effort from deep inside the area by Oscar Cardozo misses to the left of the target.
28:08

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Anderson Luisao by Georgios Samaras. Anderson Luisao restarts play with the free kick.
26:45

Lorenzo Melgarejo fouled by Scott Brown, the ref awards a free kick. Guilherme Artur Moraes restarts play with the free kick.
23:08

Efe Ambrose fouled by Enzo Perez, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Efe Ambrose.
19:22

Gary Hooper gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ezequiel Garay. Free kick taken by Ezequiel Garay.
16:53

The offside flag is raised against Gary Hooper. Guilherme Artur Moraes restarts play with the free kick.
14:50

Eduardo Salvio gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Joe Ledley. Fraser Forster takes the free kick.
10:33

Joe Ledley fouled by Eduardo Salvio, the ref awards a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Joe Ledley.
10:13

Unfair challenge on Scott Brown by Nemanja Matic results in a free kick. Scott Brown takes the direct free kick.
8:38

The ball is crossed by Lorenzo Melgarejo, Kelvin Wilson manages to make a clearance.
6:27 Goal scored

Goal – Ola John – Benfica 1 – 0 Celtic Goal scored by Ola John from inside the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Benfica 1-0 Celtic.
3:38

Scott Brown challenges Lorenzo Melgarejo unfairly and gives away a free kick. Ezequiel Garay takes the free kick.
2:46

Andre Almeida produces a cross, clearance made by Kelvin Wilson.
1:00

Oscar Cardozo takes a shot.
0:00

The referee gets the match started.

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