Tag: Club Brugge

LISBON, March 7 (Reuters) - Clinical Benfica thrashed shell-shocked Club Brugge 5-1 to knock them out of the Champions League and reach the quarter finals 7-1 on aggregate at the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday. Benfica took the lead in the 38th minute through Rafa Silva who dribbled past two defenders and fired a left foot strike into the net after a counter-attack started by Goncalo Ramos who sped up the left channel before crossing to the far post. Ramos then scored either side of the break before Joao Mario extended the lead with a penalty in the 71st minute. Substitute David Neres grabbed the fifth six minutes later before Bjorn Meijer got a consolation Brugge in the 87th.

Match report as Joao Mario and David Neres scored to put Benfica 2-0 up at the half-way point of their Champions League last-16 tie with Club Brugge; Scott Parker suffered defeat in his first game as a boss in the Champions League. Goals from Joao Mario and David Neres saw Benfica win 2-0 away over Club Brugge in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie as Scott Parker started life as a Champions League manager with defeat. Joao Mario's 51st-minute spot-kick came after Benfica had spurned a host of good opportunities as they dominated the away encounter and ensured they have a lead to defend at home in the return in Lisbon on March 7. The penalty was awarded after Brugge's Scotland defender Jack Hendry had brought down Goncalo Ramos in a clumsy challenge. Neres took advant...