Tuesday November 20, 2012 Group Stage: Group G Finished Estádio da Luz

Benfica 2 - 1 Celtic

  • John 7’
  • Garay 71’
  • Samaras 32’

51 comments | Write your comment

  1. Champions League - Benfica beat Celtic to send Group G tussle to wire

    Champions League - Benfica beat Celtic to send Group G tussle to wire

    Celtic's bid to reach the Champions League last-16 will go to the wire after a 2-1 defeat at Benfica gave the Portuguese side hope of pipping them to the post. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Benfica
    • Celtic
    • 90+4' It's all over. Celtic will have to try and finish the job on home soil against Spartak Moscow while Benfica head to Camp Nou still with a chance of snatching second place in the group. Thanks for joining me tonight - the full report will be up on the website shortly and you can follow me on Twitter @liamhappe if you don't already...
    • 90+3' Celtic are going all out for it now and Ambrose is advanced enough to win back possession. It goes cross-field to Watt who goes for goal at an angle and his low shot should have been poked home by Hooper! He doesn't go for it though and the ball drifts wide!
    • 90+2' Three minutes added on here. Watt has a long cross from the right caught by Artur.
    • 90+1' Almeida gets a late yellow card for a two-handed grab of Samaras before hoofing the ball away just to make sure.
    • 90' Salvio cuts inside to skim a 20-yarder well wide. Benfica make it 30 cracks at the goal.
    • 89' Gaitan deftly sends Cardozo forward and a lovely turn takes him away from Ambrose... but Forster again keeps Celtic alive by parrying the shot behind for a corner!
    • 88' Watt wriggles free of Almeida on the right and cuts inside... but tamely fires straight at Artur when he had options.
    • 87' Benfica have had 61% of the possession of this match and a staggering 28 attempts at goal to Celtic's five.
    • 85' Wanyama clatters Gaitan again... and that's a booking! He's going to miss what is looking now like a crucial game against Spartak Moscow!
    • 84' Artur out of his area prematurely again as Celtic surge forward on their own break, but retreats in time to save from Commons after his defenders had kept Celtic away from the open goal long enough.
    • 83' Wanyama bundles down Gaitan as Benfica strive to counter.
    • 82' Hooper closes down Artur when the keeper comes out of his area to clear a ball, helping his punt go out for an attacking throw.
    • 81' Cardozo to take this free-kick first. Goes for goal... Forster tips over! Was top corner-bound!
    • 80' Ledley makes way for Tony Watt. Will he write another special chapter in his young career?
    • 79' Ambrose trips Gaitan as he moves from right to left and the free-kick is 30 yards out.
    • 78' Maxi Pereira is on for Matic now.
    • 77' Melgarejo is booked for blocking off Kayal.
    • 75' Nicolas Gaitan comes on for Lima as Benfica bring on fresh legs.
    • 74' Now Salvio tries his luck from 25 yards... off the bar!
    • 73' Calls for a foul inside the Celtic 'D' not given - the visitors break and Wanyama forces a fine save from Artur! Commons on the rebound from a tight angle.... Artur catches!
    • 72' Do Celtic have the legs this time around to chase the game again?
    • 71' GOAL BENFICA! After Ambrose had headed another Benfica delivery behind for another corner, Garay volleys home Luisao's head-on with aplomb. It had been coming... 2-1
    • 70' MASSIVE chance for Benfica! John's cross from the left picks out Lima from eight yards who under pressure from Wilson cannot direct it towards goal!
    • 68' Loose at the back from Celtic after that little spell, though and Lima is able to turn on a loose ball inside the box but fortunately for Lennon's troops his effort is tame and Forster holds on at the near post.
    • 67' Samaras wins the Bhoys a free-kick on the left wing and sends in a delivery for Commons to head at goal, but a sea of red shirts are in the ball's path.
    • 66' Artur punches it only slightly away and Matic has to finish the job.
    • 65' A rare opening for Celtic to come forward, and Kayak from the right wins a corner off Garay.
    • 64' Brown is going to make way for Kris Commons here. He hands the captain's armband over to Samaras.
    • 63' One-way traffic here. But Benfica continue to waste chances and this time Perez puts too much behind what would have been a good through ball to release John on the left wing.
    • 62' Poor cross from Cardozo this time and with nobody at the far post for Benfica, Lustig chests it back to Forster.
    • 61' Matic goes for a spectacular finish from 25 yards with a chest-to-volley from a half-clearance. Had it not gone into Row Z, it would have been magnificent.
    • 60' Lima's cross from the left is behind Cardozo but Ambrose ends up conceding another corner. I make that about 7-2 flag kicks in Benfica's favour.
    • 59' Nobody can properly get it away and a bout of head-tennis leads to Luisao nodding it narrowly over from six yards!
    • 58' The away side waste a chance to slow the pace down in possession and Benfica surge forward to win another corner.
    • 57' Celtic again clear their lines but the pressure continues.
    • 56' Matthews puts his body in the way again, this time blocking a Almeida diagonal ball with a suspicion of use of the arm. Benfica corner.
    • 55' Salvio delivers another ball from the right but Ambrose heads clear.
    • 53' Lima picked out from the left - Matthews blocks on the line! Now Cardozo has a sight of goal but Matthews dispossesses him inside the box! What a double from the young Welshman!
    • 52' Corner cleared at the near post and Brown wins a free-kick when Melgarejo climbs all over him to try and get to an aerial pass.
    • 51' Ambrose has no choice but to nod a dangerous ball over his own bar. Benfica corner.
    • 50' Benfica are starting the second as they ended the first - firmly in control. Surely Celtic can't just ride their luck for the entire three quarters of an hour?
    • 49' It's cleared away but only sub Kayal gets things calm for the away side.
    • 48' Ledley's lunge on an overlapping Almeida is the first real happening of this second period. Gets him a booking. Benfica have a free-kick 35 yards out which will be punted into the danger zone.
    • 47' Samaras scoring again appears to be a popular prediction. @mccullough88 says: "prediction for final of Celtic v. Benfica- Samaras scores another and the score ends 3-1" while @realjamiegamble reckons "super sammy 2-1 the might celts #longlivethelions"
    • 46' And there has been a Celtic change during the intermission, with Mulgrew reportedly feeling unwell and being replaced by Beram Kayal.
    • 46' 45 down, 45 minutes to survive - or even thrive. Celtic get the second half started.
    • 45+1' The corner comes to nothing and that's all we get for time added on. Half-time and at 1-1, Celtic are heading to the last-16 but Benfica look more than capable in their search of a winner that will stop them from having to battle Spartak for Europa League football. It's finely poised - and you can tweet me your predictions for publish @liamhappe
    • 45' John steals a yard on Lustig. Cross finds Cardozo - shot blocked! Melgarejo now, also closed down! Same for Matic as Celtic hurl bodies in the way of this onslaught! Salvio skips through them instead and has a shot deflected behind by Wilson!
    • 44' But this is more like it from the Portugal representatives. Salvio has space for a low cut-back from the right-hand byline which evades Lima but falls to an unmarked John! Great save by Forster denies him a second!
    • 43' Overcooked cross from the right by Salvio. For all their attacking dominance over the last five, they looked far better while controlling the tempo at 1-0 up. The leveller as flustered them to an extent.
    • 42' Benfica remain on the front foot over the last few minutes and Almeida cuts inside to strike, but it's terrible. Miles wide of the inside upright.
    • 41' The move from the corner flag leads to an eventual 20-yarder from Salvio which flies over the bar.
    • 40' The corner fails to get beyond first man at the near post and as Benfica counter, Wilson accidentally takes out his captain Brown with the slide! That leaves the hosts well flanked to attack but Lustig rescues at the expense of a corner.
    • 39' Hooper sparks a Celtic break, feeding Brown for a right-sided delivery. Luisao heads away only for Melgarejo to lose his touch and concede a corner anyway. Oop.
    • 38' Mis-timed slide by Samaras on Matic and Benfica have a free-kick. Celtic defend it well but the Greek player soon clatters Perez too and Kassai produces a yellow.
    • 37' It has taken one player 33 minutes to fire a hat-trick in tonight. Who is cruising? Champions League: LIVE
    • 36' Samaras takes a stride forward from 25 yards out and shoots low - but he drags it safely wide of the near post.
    • 35' Great scenes in the away end as the 5,000 travelling fans whoop it up.
    • 34' Perez curls for the top corner, and is only marginally off-target, as it goes...
    • 33' Of course, that puts us at a score draw - Celtic are through to the last-16 if the score does not change.
    • 32' GOAL CELTIC! Snoop Dogg's favourite player rises well at the far post to nod the leveller down into the net! Majestic set piece goal - 1-1!
    • 31' Hooper does well to come across to the right to make sure a wild deflection goes all the way out for a corner.
    • 30' Cardozo fed through! Fires wide! Should have been 2-0!
    • 29' Samaras goes down from a stumble and is penalised for handball. Ha.
    • 28' Great interception by Wanyama gives the visitors some breathing space.
    • 27' Brown shoves down Melgarejo. Free-kick.
    • 26' Sportsmanship has gone out the window at Nordjaelland! Read how here! Champions League: LIVE
    • 25' In fact Perez may have suffered a busted lip from Wanyama's shoulder and isn't happy at all.
    • 24' Game breaking down even more now. Two incidents first involving John and the second seeing Wanyama clatter Enzo Perez just heating things up away from play.
    • 23' If Celtic do lose here, they can assure themselves that match day six sees Benfica face Barca while they take on the doomed Spartak.
    • 21' Salvio again busy on the right, forcing two defenders to neutralise his threat.
    • 20' Benfica's early goal has allowed them to stick a leash on Celtic. Good tactical shape, no needless passes and solid defending on the odd Bhoys counter.
    • 19' Salvio causes Matthews some problems with great turns on the right before opting to play safe and go backwards.
    • 17' Not a bad through pass by Samaras in search of the central run of Wanyama, but Luisao is monstrous in the challenge. Great defending on the slide.
    • 16' Hooper is caught offside out on the left. Didn't look so, to be honest.
    • 15' Salvio shows he can give what he can take with a heavy challenge on Ambrose to concede a free-kick.
    • 13' Celtic break out on the right through Samaras, who is forced back before a cross-field pass to Mulgrew sees the full-back lose possession with a wasted cross.
    • 12' Looks like he's fit to carry on though...
    • 11' It's cleared before Salvio smacks heads with Ledley. The Benfica player got the worst of that.
    • 10' Good work by Brown to draw a promising free-kick on the left wing from Matic.
    • 9' Six Champions League games are LIVE on the website at present! Check out the latest...
    • 8' The stray cross attempt came Cardozo's way first, with Brown making a challenge before John smacked home the aftermath. Those who did make the effort have been given reason to cheer.
    • 7' GOAL BENFICA! Ola John strikes low as a loose ball comes his way following a blocked cross from the right. 1-0!
    • 5' Looking around, this is not a good attendance at all. Not many Benfica fans bothering with this one. Speaks volumes.
    • 4' Celtic skipper Brown brings down Melgarejo in the middle of the park for a Benfica free-kick.
    • 3' Viktor Kassai of Hungary is in charge of this one. He served as the referee of the 2011 Champions League final at Wembley, which is a pretty decent underlining of his credentials.
    • 2' Mistake from Samaras allows Matic to dispossess the striker and feed Cardozo to fire an early warning sign over the Celtic crossbar from 25 yards.
    • 1' Benfica get the game started.
    • 19:45 Here come the teams. A score draw or better for Celtic and they join Barcelona in the knockout phase. Europa League football at a minimum has already been assured. Kick-off is next.. get your predictions over @liamhappe - now!!
    • 19:40 Hmm, how else can we stoke up the Celtic fans' "Bhoy"-ant moods with 5 left til kick-off? I know, how about a recap of Des Kane's memorable report of the big result on November 7? Celtic 2-1 Barcelona
    • 19:35 Get involved in today's coverage in one of three ways: leave your thoughts in our comments section below, rate the players as the game progresses once we kick off, and if you want to get your comments published here on the 'cast, simply send them over via Twitter! You can do that by following me at @liamhappe
    • 19:30 But is the kazillionaire rapper taking the 'pizzle'? It turns out he's far from the magnanimous type when it comes to sporting loyalty. Evidence: Snoop supports many teams
    • 19:25 Of course, potential Champions League progress or not, this isn't the biggest Celtic story of the week... Snoop Dogg wants to do WHAT?
    • 19:20 Benfica have won all four European games at home against Scottish opposition, without conceding a goal.
    • 19:15 The evening began well for Celtic fans when Barcelona defeated Spartak Moscow 3-0 in Russia to effectively ensure European football will extend beyond December for the Bhoys. Read Liam Happe's full report...
    • 19:10 Benfica's danger man is Paraguay international Oscar Cardozo, who offers an aerial threat. Still, the key to this game is likely to be how Benfica handle the wonderful talent that is Victor Wanyama, Celtic's rampaging midfielder.
    • 19:05 Neil Lennon makes three changes from the side that beat Aberdeen at the weekend as the injured trio of Scott Brown, Gary Hooper and Joe Ledley all return. Making way are Beram Kayal, Tony Watt and Kris Commons.
    • 19:00 TEAMS: Benfica: Artur, Luisao, Garay, Andre Almeida, Matic, Perez, Oscar Cardozo, Lima, John, Salvio, Melgarejo. Subs: Paulo Lopes, Maxi Pereira, Jardel, Bruno Cesar, Nolito, Gaitan, Rodrigo. /// Celtic: Forster, Lustig, Ambrose, Wilson, Matthews, Brown, Wanyama, Ledley, Mulgrew, Hooper, Samaras. Subs: Zaluska, Kayal, McCourt, Watt, Lassad, Commons, Miku.
    • 18:55 Neil Lennon: "I want the players to embrace the history. It’s nice having the Lisbon Lions on the trip because they are greats – but we have to focus on our own job. The expectation level has gone from down there to up there in no time. I want to temper that and water it down by saying, ‘Listen, we haven’t achieved anything yet’. Barcelona was a great night but it has gone now. It’s one of those where you’re almost there but you can’t quite reach it."
    • 18:50 Barcelona have already secured their progression to the last 16 of the Champions League with a win in Russia against Spartak Moscow and Celtic will join them if they can defeat Benfica tonight. However, a score draw will also be enough given the clubs' head-to-head record (they drew 0-0 in Glasgow). A defeat makes things a bit more tricky as they will be level on seven points with Benfica heading into the final fixture: a home game against Spartak.
    • 18:45 Hello and welcome to our live text commentary on the Champions League Group G game between Celtic and Benfica in Portugal. Following a tremendous victory over Barcelona, Celtic now travel to the scene of their greatest triumph: Lisbon, where they won the European Cup in 1967.

  • Summary

    • 90+3' Celtic are going all out for it now and Ambrose is advanced enough to win back possession. It goes cross-field to Watt who goes for goal at an angle and his low shot should have been poked home by Hooper! He doesn't go for it though and the ball drifts wide!
    • 89' Gaitan deftly sends Cardozo forward and a lovely turn takes him away from Ambrose... but Forster again keeps Celtic alive by parrying the shot behind for a corner!
    • 81' Cardozo to take this free-kick first. Goes for goal... Forster tips over! Was top corner-bound!
    • 74' Now Salvio tries his luck from 25 yards... off the bar!
    • 73' Calls for a foul inside the Celtic 'D' not given - the visitors break and Wanyama forces a fine save from Artur! Commons on the rebound from a tight angle.... Artur catches!
    • 71' GOAL BENFICA! After Ambrose had headed another Benfica delivery behind for another corner, Garay volleys home Luisao's head-on with aplomb. It had been coming... 2-1
    • 70' MASSIVE chance for Benfica! John's cross from the left picks out Lima from eight yards who under pressure from Wilson cannot direct it towards goal!
    • 59' Nobody can properly get it away and a bout of head-tennis leads to Luisao nodding it narrowly over from six yards!
    • 53' Lima picked out from the left - Matthews blocks on the line! Now Cardozo has a sight of goal but Matthews dispossesses him inside the box! What a double from the young Welshman!
    • 45' John steals a yard on Lustig. Cross finds Cardozo - shot blocked! Melgarejo now, also closed down! Same for Matic as Celtic hurl bodies in the way of this onslaught! Salvio skips through them instead and has a shot deflected behind by Wilson!
    • 44' But this is more like it from the Portugal representatives. Salvio has space for a low cut-back from the right-hand byline which evades Lima but falls to an unmarked John! Great save by Forster denies him a second!
    • 40' The corner fails to get beyond first man at the near post and as Benfica counter, Wilson accidentally takes out his captain Brown with the slide! That leaves the hosts well flanked to attack but Lustig rescues at the expense of a corner.
    • 32' GOAL CELTIC! Snoop Dogg's favourite player rises well at the far post to nod the leveller down into the net! Majestic set piece goal - 1-1!
    • 30' Cardozo fed through! Fires wide! Should have been 2-0!
    • 7' GOAL BENFICA! Ola John strikes low as a loose ball comes his way following a blocked cross from the right. 1-0!
    • 19:00 TEAMS: Benfica: Artur, Luisao, Garay, Andre Almeida, Matic, Perez, Oscar Cardozo, Lima, John, Salvio, Melgarejo. Subs: Paulo Lopes, Maxi Pereira, Jardel, Bruno Cesar, Nolito, Gaitan, Rodrigo. /// Celtic: Forster, Lustig, Ambrose, Wilson, Matthews, Brown, Wanyama, Ledley, Mulgrew, Hooper, Samaras. Subs: Zaluska, Kayal, McCourt, Watt, Lassad, Commons, Miku.

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      5.9 7
      Defenders
      Yellow Card 5.3 6
      6 9
      Goal 7.6 8
      Yellow Card 5.7 6
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out78′ 5.9 7
      Goal 7 8
      Substitution Out76′ 5.5 7
      Strikers
      6.7 6
      Substitution Out90′ 6.7 8
      5.9 7
      Subs
      Substitution In78′ 7.5 6
      Substitution In76′ 7.5 7
      Substitution In90′ 8.3 -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      5.2 8
      Defenders
      5.1 7
      5.2 6
      5.4 6
      5.1 8
      Midfielders
      Yellow Card Substitution Out80′ 5.3 6
      Yellow Card 5.5 7
      Substitution Out64′ 4.8 6
      Substitution Out45′ 5.1 5
      Strikers
      Goal Yellow Card 5.3 7
      5.1 5
      Subs
      Substitution In64′ 3.9 6
      Substitution In45′ 4.4 7
      Substitution In80′ 3 5

Comment 31 - 51 of 51

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  1. ex rangers fans comments on here are embarrassing, i­ suppose for a third division team it's the closest­ you'll get to the Champions League for a long long­ time.

    From kenneth, on Wed 21 Nov 11:50

  2. Celtic are going through. keep up the pace lads. we­ are nearly there.

    From Whiskey, on Wed 21 Nov 4:42

  3. HUNS GO AWAY

    From , on Wed 21 Nov 2:47

  4. The Only draw in the group has been at Celtic­ Park............That could cost yous

    From James, on Wed 21 Nov 0:28

  5. Tony Watt should've started ... post-injury, Hooper­ was invisible. McCourt is wasted on bench! Wake up ,­ Neil! McCourt and Watt together !!!!

    From Edward, on Wed 21 Nov 0:15

  6. Celtic are still in all competitions and with every­ chance of progressing into the last 16 of the CL. Top­ of the SPL too. Its a great time to be a Celtic fan.

    From Fr_Dougal, on Tue 20 Nov 23:02

  7. mark i bet you love furry animals

    From ANDREW, on Tue 20 Nov 22:45

  8. some real lowlife as usual,celtic rangers #$%$spins­ into pitiful comments you are truely the most­ pathetice bunch of tossers out there

    From mark, on Tue 20 Nov 22:30

  9. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    From ANDREW, on Tue 20 Nov 22:23

  10. wat group r the rangers in i cant seem to find them o­ thats right its DIVISION 3

    From John, on Tue 20 Nov 22:15

  11. well done benfica, great result over the s**m

    From ALEX, on Tue 20 Nov 22:09

  12. WHat happened to this celtics ? b4 when they beat­ barcelona they acting like theyre the greatest team­ cause they beating the mighty barcelona.. celtics still­ floating ? benifica teach you a lesson..

    From skie, on Tue 20 Nov 22:05

  13. your still winners Celtic Lisbon Lions truly you are

    From Chris, on Tue 20 Nov 22:02

  14. Fail Fail the Lisbon Losers, the Lisbon Liars.

    From Robert, on Tue 20 Nov 21:45

  15. BENFICA!

    From lucas, on Tue 20 Nov 21:45

  16. Weel done Benfica - lions of Lisbon.

    From the_voice_of_reason, on Tue 20 Nov 21:43

  17. goal

    From vince, on Tue 20 Nov 21:43

  18. A good day all round - defeat for Hector and defeat for­ the sellick.

    From the_voice_of_reason, on Tue 20 Nov 21:43

  19. Haters gonna hate. mo money mo problems.

    From AL AN, on Tue 20 Nov 21:42

  20. BRAVO Benfica - well deserved !

    From Istina Boli, on Tue 20 Nov 21:42
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