Europa League: Benfica, Qarabag and Freiburg ahead

Benfica does the bare minimum this time too, in this case it simply means not conceding a goal, and eliminates Toulouse who carry so much regret for the various wasted opportunities: it ends 0-0, the Portuguese advance to the round of 16 of the Europa League. Qarabag and Freiburg were forced into overtime to reach the next round, both winning in extra time against Braga and Lens respectively.

Toulouse-Benfica 0-0 (1-2)

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In Toulouse, Benfica emerged unscathed from the French comeback attempt. In the first half Rafa Silva misses the target with a curling shot, on the other Donnum stands out from a good position but the header is central; the real opportunity comes to Di Maria, who on a slide in the 33rd minute almost misses the winning deflection. Spierings would have the ball on his head which would bring the overall situation back to parity, but incredibly shot it wide from a few meters away (55′). The Dutchman is capable of doing worse in the 66th minute, when he hits Trubin from close range; Nicolaisen doesn’t direct his head well on the development of the action. In the middle of injury time, Sierro’s attempt from outside is worth mentioning, forcing the Benfica goalkeeper to make a great intervention.

Freiburg-Lens 3-2 DTS (0-0)

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He risks as much as Lens has to and is above all good at converting created situations into goals. In the 28th minute Pereira Da Costa took advantage of Atubolu’s rough exit to punish the German defence. On another free kick, Medina came close to scoring an own goal (33′) which would have put the game back in balance. Just before the break, the French double their lead: Wahi passes, Gulde sensationally misses and the attacker scores with a delightful dig. Then another match begins, and Freiburg is the absolute protagonist. Sallai reopens the challenge, shortening it in the 67th minute: the former Palermo player is the quickest to resolve a melee in the area. Five minutes later Kubler also tries his best, but this time Samba is miraculous. In the 81st minute Fulgini, who had just come on, almost scored the knockout and it was a significant mistake, because if in the 89th minute it was still the French goalkeeper who decisively opposed Gregoritsch’s shot, in injury time Samba could do nothing on the deflected shot again in the fray by Sallai for the 2-2. In extra time the Hungarian also indirectly entered the third goal, because on Gregoritsch’s side he got in the way of Haidara and allowed his teammate to return to the ball, discard the goalkeeper and tap into an empty net in the 99th minute. The turnaround is completed which sends Freiburg ahead, and Lens home.

QARABAG-BRAGA 2-3 aet (4-2)

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Despite Braga’s need for a comeback, it was Qarabag who took the lead in the first half. Andrade could actually close the score in the 40th minute: he cuts well into the area, but the shot is too narrow and he doesn’t find the big target. Qarabag were left with ten men due to Cafarquliyev’s expulsion for a second yellow card and the Portuguese took advantage in the 70th minute, with Roger Fernandes hitting a precise left-footed shot where Lunev couldn’t reach. Djalo scored the equalizing goal with a splendid right-footed shot in the 83rd minute. In extra time, Matheus Silva rekindled the home team’s hope in the 103rd minute by coordinating well in the area on the development of a free kick. But it seems destined to remain so, because in the second half Mustafazade clearly embraces Banza and gives Braga a penalty: from the spot it is Banza himself who wrong-foots the goalkeeper in the 115th minute. The match heads to penalties, when Akhundzade, born in 2004, punishes the opposing defense who is surprised by a quickly taken free kick. And it’s an Azerbaijani holiday.