Benfica revived hope of reaching the Champions League knock-out stage with a 4-3 home win over Lyon.
Portuguese hosts comfortable despite late rally by group leaders
Benfica revived hope of reaching the Champions League knock-out stage with a thrilling 4-3 home win over Lyon.
The Portuguese giants have failed to go beyond the group stage since 2006 and had only three points after three games in Group B, yet they are firmly back in the frame for a place in the last 16 after a first-half masterclass left them comfortable despite a late Lyon fightback.
Alan Kardec headed the hosts into a 20th-minute lead before Fabio Coentrao volleyed home and Javi Garcia headed a third just before the break.
Highly-rated Portugal left-back Coentrao claimed a second in the 67th minute, with Carlos Martins having made all four goals for Benfica.
But Yoann Gourcuff and substitute Bafetimbi Gomis added some respectability to the scoreline in the last 15 minutes while Dejan Lovren scored again for Lyon in the fifth minute of stoppage-time to offer some relief to under-pressure coach Claude Puel, whose side knew one point would have booked their place in the last 16 for an eighth successive season.
The French side remain Group B leaders with two games left, though, with second-placed German outfit Schalke two points behind and Benfica a point further back in third.
Bright Lyon start
Lyon twice had the ball in the Benfica net during the opening 10 minutes only for each effort to rightly be disallowed - for offside then handball - and the hosts then dominated the rest of the first half.
Maxi Pereria's early sighters began the assault while Javier Saviola forced keeper Hugo Lloris to turn a low shot wide and Coentrao cut inside before firing narrowly over.
The hosts then opened the scoring as Martins whipped in an inswinging free-kick from the left wing and Kardec headed home.
Lyon replied with Jimmy Briand going close with an acrobatic overhead kick, but moments later the visitors found themselves 2-0 down.
Garcia broke following a poor Miralem Pjanic free-kick and laid off for Martins, who chipped towards the left side of the box where Coentrao's first-time volley was too strong for Lloris at his near post.
Lloris parried a close-range strike by Saviola and Cesar Peixoto produced an air-shot trying to sidefoot the rebound goalwards with his weaker right foot.
Benfica would get a third three minutes before the break, though, as Garcia was left completely unmarked to head home Martins' left-wing corner at the near post.
Benfica's fourth
Lyon began the second half brighter, with chances falling for Briand early on while home keeper Roberto had to punch a Gourcuff corner clear from under his own crossbar. Yet from there Benfica managed to score again on the counter-attack, Martins teeing up Coentrao to lift the ball over a stranded Lloris.
Gourcuff scored what looked to be a consolation when the France striker produced a smart finish from Alexandre Lacazette's low cross.
Gomis then pulled another goal back with five minutes left, turning the ball home from close range after Lacazette flicked on a Gourcuff corner, and it was virtually the last touch of the game when Lovren glanced a header beyond a stranded Roberto after Maxime Gonalons pumped a free-kick into the Benfica box.
| Benfica |
Team Statistics |
Lyon |
| 4 |
Goals |
3 |
| 3 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 6 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 5 |
Shots off Target |
4 |
| 2 |
Blocked Shots |
8 |
| 7 |
Corners |
10 |
| 24 |
Fouls |
16 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
7 |
| 3 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 68.9 |
Passing Success |
78.8 |
| 25 |
Tackles |
20 |
| 72 |
Tackles Success |
75 |
| 38.9 |
Possession |
61.1 |
| 55.3 |
Territorial Advantage |
44.7 |
|
