Early Cardozo goal seals top spot for Benfica
Reuters - Wednesday 07 December 2011, 22:22
An early tap-in from Paraguay striker Oscar
Cardozo earned Benfica a 1-0 home win over Romanian champions Otelul Galati on
Wednesday which secured them top spot in Champions League Group C.
The Lisbon club ended the group phase above second-place Basel who shocked
Premier League champions Manchester United with a 2-1 win in the final match.
"We must stress this brilliant campaign of ours," Benfica coach Jorge Jesus
told reporters. "Benfica's group had three excellent teams and United, who were
the favorites, were knocked out, that says it all."
Otelul exit the Champions League without earning a single point in their
debut campaign.
Benfica had secured qualification with an impressive 2-2 draw at United in
the previous round and allowed themselves to relax and control the tempo of the
match after an early Cardozo goal.
Argentine winger Nicolas Gaitan ran to the byline inside Otelul's box and
his clever pass found the Paraguayan striker who coolly tapped in the winner in
the seventh minute.
SILKY AIMAR
Silky playmaker Pablo Aimar and the clever Axel Witsel pulled the strings in
the midfield, giving the visitors little leeway as Benfica controlled possession
throughout.
"We are very ambitious we accomplished the objective of being first but
the key goal was to get to the last 16 round. Now we will see what the draw has
in stall for us and in what form we will be in the knockout," Aimar said.
Cardozo, Benfica's top goalscorer in the competition with three goals,
almost grabbed a second in the 33rd minute with a shot from outside the box that
went inches wide.
Moments later, in a rare chance for the Romanians, forward Gabriel Paraschiv
caught Benfica's defence napping but lost out in the one-on-one duel with
Benfica keeper Artur, who also saved Gabriel Giurgiu's rebound shot.
Benfica kept control in the second half and Otelul took no risks. Cardozo
headed over keeper Branko Grahovac's goal, Javi Garcia went close with a
cracking shot from distance and substitute Rodrigo also missed two good chances.
"It was important to finish first because it allows us to escape from
meeting a few big sharks in the next round," Benfica's Ruben Amorim said.