- Date:07 Dec 2010
- Kick-off:19:45
- Venue:Estadio da Luz
Live Commentary
The final whistle goes and the game is over.
- 92mins
Goncalves Edu is caught offside. Marinho David Luiz takes the indirect free kick.
- 90mins
Joel Matip challenges Alexandre Fabio Coentrao unfairly and gives away a free kick. Marinho David Luiz produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick.
- 89mins
Erik Jendrisek replaces Jose Manuel Jurado.
- 86mins
Anderson Luisao scores a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Benfica 1-2 Schalke 04.Assist by Alexandre Fabio Coentrao.
- 85mins
Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Nicolas Gaitan.
- 84mins
Goncalves Edu is brought on as a substitute for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
- 81mins
Joel Matip on for Peer Kluge.
- 80mins
Benedikt Howedes grabs a goal from inside the six-yard box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Benfica 0-2 Schalke 04.Inswinging corner taken by Jose Manuel Jurado. The assist for the goal came from Peer Kluge.
- 78mins
Eduardo Salvio joins the action as a substitute, replacing Jorge Carlos Martins. Kyriakos Papadopoulos gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Filipe Ruben Amorim. Direct free kick taken by Filipe Ruben Amorim.
- 77mins
Booking for Ivan Rakitic for unsporting behaviour. Ivan Rakitic challenges Pablo Aimar unfairly and gives away a free kick. Pablo Aimar restarts play with the free kick.
- 76mins
Pablo Aimar receives a yellow card. Kyriakos Papadopoulos fouled by Pablo Aimar, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Lukas Schmitz.
- 75mins
Foul by Francisco Javi Garcia on Atsuto Uchida, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Atsuto Uchida.
- 74mins
Pablo Aimar has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the target.
- 70mins
Javier Saviola is given a yellow card.
- 69mins
Filipe Ruben Amorim has an effort at goal and missed to the right of the goal.
- 67mins
Marinho David Luiz goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour. Marinho David Luiz concedes a free kick for a foul on Jose Manuel Jurado. Ivan Rakitic takes the free kick.
- 66mins
Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Jorge Carlos Martins.
- 66mins
Outswinging corner taken by Jorge Carlos Martins from the right by-line.
- 65mins
Oscar Cardozo produces a drilled left-footed shot from 18 yards. Save by Manuel Neuer.
- 64mins
Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Jorge Carlos Martins, Effort from inside the six-yard box by Francisco Javi Garcia goes wide right of the goal.
- 63mins
The referee shows Klaas-Jan Huntelaar a yellow card for dissent.
- 62mins
The official flags Klaas-Jan Huntelaar offside. Marinho David Luiz takes the free kick.
- 61mins
Unfair challenge on Francisco Javi Garcia by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Marinho David Luiz.
- 58mins
Pablo Aimar fouled by Benedikt Howedes, the ref awards a free kick. Strike comes in from Jorge Carlos Martins from the free kick, blocked by Christoph Metzelder.
- 55mins
Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Pablo Aimar.
- 55mins
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is ruled offside. Jimenez Roberto takes the free kick.
- 54mins
Close range effort by Peer Kluge misses to the left of the goal.
- 53mins
Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jose Manuel Jurado by Filipe Ruben Amorim. Lukas Schmitz takes the direct free kick.
- 53mins
Atsuto Uchida fouled by Javier Saviola, the ref awards a free kick. Atsuto Uchida takes the direct free kick.
- 52mins
Inswinging corner taken by Jose Manuel Jurado from the left by-line, clearance by Marinho David Luiz.
- 51mins
Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Klaas-Jan Huntelaar by Anderson Luisao. Jose Manuel Jurado takes the free kick.
- 50mins
Pablo Aimar challenges Kyriakos Papadopoulos unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Benedikt Howedes.
- 46mins
Ivan Rakitic takes a shot. Jimenez Roberto makes a comfortable save.
- 45mins
Pablo Aimar replaces Paulo Cesar Peixoto.
The game restarts for the second half.
- 45mins
Nicolas Gaitan comes on in place of Victorio Maxi Pereira.
The half-time whistle blows.
- 43mins
Javier Saviola is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Manuel Neuer restarts play with the free kick.
- 42mins
The official flags Javier Saviola offside. Free kick taken by Manuel Neuer.
- 42mins
Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Jorge Carlos Martins from the left by-line.
- 41mins
Gonzalez Raul concedes a free kick for a foul on Marinho David Luiz. Free kick crossed right-footed by Jorge Carlos Martins, Jose Manuel Jurado manages to make a clearance.
- 40mins
The assistant referee flags for offside against Javier Saviola. Free kick taken by Manuel Neuer.
- 35mins
Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Jorge Carlos Martins from the left by-line, save by Manuel Neuer.
- 34mins
Paulo Cesar Peixoto fouled by Gonzalez Raul, the ref awards a free kick. Jorge Carlos Martins delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel, clearance made by Atsuto Uchida.
- 33mins
Jorge Carlos Martins gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kyriakos Papadopoulos. Lukas Schmitz restarts play with the free kick.
- 31mins
Foul by Anderson Luisao on Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Benedikt Howedes.
- 30mins
Kyriakos Papadopoulos concedes a free kick for a foul on Jorge Carlos Martins. Free kick taken by Jorge Carlos Martins.
- 29mins
Kyriakos Papadopoulos takes a shot. Save made by Jimenez Roberto.
- 24mins
Long range effort from Jorge Carlos Martins misses to the left of the target.
- 24mins
Foul by Kyriakos Papadopoulos on Anderson Luisao, free kick awarded. Anderson Luisao takes the direct free kick.
- 22mins
The official flags Klaas-Jan Huntelaar offside. Anderson Luisao takes the indirect free kick.
- 18mins
Jose Manuel Jurado finds the back of the net with a goal from inside the area to the top left corner of the goal. Benfica 0-1 Schalke 04.
- 16mins
Free kick awarded for a foul by Filipe Ruben Amorim on Kyriakos Papadopoulos. Kyriakos Papadopoulos takes the direct free kick.
- 14mins
Shot by Javier Saviola from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.
- 13mins
Lukas Schmitz concedes a free kick for a foul on Filipe Ruben Amorim. Victorio Maxi Pereira takes the direct free kick.
- 12mins
Shot on goal by Oscar Cardozo from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.
- 10mins
Jorge Carlos Martins is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Benedikt Howedes restarts play with the free kick.
- 9mins
Gonzalez Raul challenges Francisco Javi Garcia unfairly and gives away a free kick. Jimenez Roberto restarts play with the free kick.
- 8mins
Oscar Cardozo is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Manuel Neuer.
- 4mins
Shot from just outside the box by Jorge Carlos Martins misses to the left of the goal.
- 3mins
Paulo Cesar Peixoto takes a short corner.
- 3mins
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Marinho David Luiz. Marinho David Luiz takes the free kick.
- 1mins
Marinho David Luiz fouled by Kyriakos Papadopoulos, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Marinho David Luiz.
Kyriakos Papadopoulos takes a shot.
The game begins.
Match Preview
Magath wants home advantage Schalke boss Felix Magath wants his side to secure top spot in Champions League Group B with victory away to Benfica. Having already sealed their passage to the knockout stage thanks to a 3-0 win over Lyon a fortnight ago, Schalke might have been tempted to take their foot off the gas for the final group game. However, Magath wants his side to do all they can to avoid one of Europe's big guns in the second round. "It is not just about the glory of winning the group," he said. "I think the team knows that it would be an advantage to finish top as that would give us home advantage in the second leg in the next round. "It could also give us an easier opponent. If we finish second, then there are one or two very tough opponents that we could draw." Victory would also be an extra financial boost to the Gelsenkirchen-based club, while it would set them up well for their remaining two Bundesliga fixtures of the year after beating Bayern Munich at the weekend. And Magath expects a similar game to the one against the German champions on Saturday. "Benfica will do the attacking and that will give us room to play," he said. "Hopefully we can do as well as we did in second half against Bayern." There is still something at stake for Benfica, who need a win to ensure they drop into the Europa League. "It is important to win because we hope to qualify for the Europa League," said defender Cesar Peixoto. "We are sad because we knew that we had the ability to continue in the Champions League, but I think that we have a thing or two to say in the Europa League, which is also a big stage." After losing 2-0 in Gelsenkirchen back in September, Cesar Peixoto knows what his side will be coming up against but he remains confident that home advantage will be decisive. "Schalke are an excellent side," he said. "They have a world class attack, but we are playing at home and we are counting on the support of our fans." Cardozo is back in the Benfica squad after damaging knee ligaments in Gelsenkirchen while Airton is also an option after recovering from injury. Schalke defender Christian Pander is in line for his first start in over 18 months after coming on as a substitute against Bayern at the weekend. However, Jefferson Farfan is suspended.
Benfica
Schalke 04
- Jimenez Roberto
- Victorio Maxi Pereira
- Anderson Luisao
- Marinho David Luiz
- Alexandre Fabio Coentrao
- Filipe Ruben Amorim
- Francisco Javi Garcia
- Paulo Cesar Peixoto
- Javier Saviola
- Jorge Carlos Martins
- Oscar Cardozo
- SUBS
- Jacobi Julio Cesar
- Eduardo Salvio
- Pablo Aimar
- Franco Jara
- Nicolas Gaitan
- Miguel Nuno Gomes
- Rechel Sidnei
Home
Away
- Manuel Neuer
- Atsuto Uchida
- Benedikt Howedes
- Christoph Metzelder
- Lukas Schmitz
- Peer Kluge
- Kyriakos Papadopoulos
- Jose Manuel Jurado
- Ivan Rakitic
- Gonzalez Raul
- Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
- SUBS
- Mathias Schober
- Nicolas Plestan
- Goncalves Edu
- Mario Gavranovic
- Erik Jendrisek
- Ciprian Deac
- Joel Matip
Match Report
Schalke top Group B Schalke secured top spot in Champions League Group B with an impressive 2-1 victory away to hapless Benfica. Having already sealed their passage to the knockout stage thanks to a 3-0 win over Lyon a fortnight ago, Schalke might have been tempted to take their foot off the gas for the final group game. However, goals by Jose Manuel Jurado and Benedikt Howedes, before Luisao's consolation, gave them the win required to give them top spot ahead of Lyon. There was still something at stake for Benfica, who entertained Schalke needing a win to ensure they dropped into the Europa League, but the German side were also keen to record a victory and it showed tonight. Kyriakos Papadopoulos had an early sighter for Schalke but his long-range effort went over the bar. Carlos Martins had a 20-yard shot for Benfica go narrowly wide in the fifth minute. The tame opening continued when Oscar Cardozo, returning from injury, hit one over the bar for Benfica with his left foot from 12 yards. His strike partner Javier Saviola did a little better shortly after when he drilled a right-footed shot just wide. And in the 19th minute Schalke hit Benfica on the break when Jurado gave them the lead, finding himself in the right place at the right time to coolly slot home from 12 yards with his left foot. Carlos Martins had another effort in the 24th minute but drilled his 30-yard attempt wide, before Schalke watched Papadopoulous' left-footed shot fail to really test Roberto. Ivan Rakitic continued the theme with another feeble distance effort which Roberto caught easily, before Peer Kluge volleyed wide from close range. The momentum swung back to Benfica as Javi Garcia volleyed wide in the 65th minute before Cardozo forced an excellent save from Manuel Neuer, the goalkeeper tipping over his left-footed shot from the edge of the box. But in the 81st minute it was 2-0. Jurado's corner found Kluge, who nodded it on for Howedes to fire home from close range. Luisao's 87th-minute header proved too little, too late, but Hapoel Tel Aviv's failure to beat Lyon did at least ensure the Portuguese side secured third spot and with it, Europa League football.
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