Lima puts Benfica on top against Juventus
Published: Thursday 24 April 2014, 23.14CET
SL Benfica 2-1 Juventus
Substitute Lima's vicious late strike regained the initiative for the Eagles after Carlos Tévez cancelled out Ezequiel Garay's early header.
Substitute Lima's vicious late strike regained the initiative for the Eagles after Carlos Tévez cancelled out Ezequiel Garay's early header.
Lima regained the initiative for SL Benfica with a fearsome strike in the 84th minute after Juventus had dominated much of the sides' UEFA Europa League semi-final opener.
Trailing to Ezequiel Garay's header after just two minutes, the Italian champions slowly worked their way back into contention, and were rewarded midway through the second half when Carlos Tévez scored his first goal in UEFA competition in over five years. However, Lima provided the sting in the tail, leaving Jorge Jesus's side knowing that a clean sheet in Turin will put them in the final for a second season in succession.
The Eagles seized the initiative from the off and were soon in front, Miralem Sulejmani's corner from the left picking out Garay, whose downward header brushed Gianluigi Buffon's fingertips on the way into the net. Serbia playmaker Sulejmani then shot wide after a ball from compatriot Lazar Marković, with Benfica's tactic of using Rodrigo and Enzo Pérez to neutralise the threat of Andrea Pirlo initially very successful.
Antonio Conte's men slowly found their feet, though, the energetic Tévez forcing Benfica's midfield to drop deeper, though Luisão and Garay did well to prevent the Argentinian, Mirko Vučinić and Paul Pogba from getting a sight of goal.
The pressure only intensified aft
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