,autocrop(1200:630) "FC Porto Beats Benfica 3-2 in Campeonato Placard Roller Hockey Opener")
FC Porto defeated Benfica 3-2 on Wednesday at the Dragão Arena in the opening round of the Campeonato Placard roller hockey season.
The match, which took place amid the weather impacts of Storm Charles, saw spectators in the stands, unlike other Lisbon-based fixtures held on the same night.
The match, which marked the beginning of Benfica’s title defense, was decided in the final minutes by a goal from Gonçalo Alves. The victory for the home side followed a tightly contested match where the lead changed hands multiple times.
Nil Roca opened the scoring for Benfica in the 8th minute, but Gonçalo Alves leveled the score via a penalty kick after a blue card was issued to Zé Miranda. Carlo Di Benedetto pushed the score to 2-1 for Porto in the 31st minute, followed by a second goal from Nil Roca to equalize at 35 minutes, according to the official club report from Sport Lisboa e Benfica.
The decisive moment arrived at the 44th minute when Gonçalo Alves executed a high-quality shot to secure the 3-2 win for the hosts.
Benfica coach Edu Castro declined to blame the result on individual errors, instead praising the quality of the winning play. "I don’t use excuses to justify what didn’t go well, because I think we did very well and sometimes these miracle-like plays happen," Castro told A Bola.
While the loss marks a difficult start for the defending champions, the Benfica technical staff remains focused on the long-term objective of the season. "Our goal is very clear and involves having a good season and defending the shield we have on our chest," Castro added. The club confirmed that the next match is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, at the Pavilhão Fidelidade against Riba d’Ave.
Benfica Controls Possession Before Other Sporting Events Occur
The match began with Benfica taking the initiative and controlling possession. During the first half, Zé Miranda missed a penalty opportunity for the visitors before the teams entered the interval tied at 1-1.
Following the conclusion of the roller hockey action, other clubs in the capital faced schedule adjustments: the Benfica men’s basketball team hosted the Bakken Bears at 20h, while the Sporting CP men’s volleyball team played at 19h30, both without fans in attendance.
Elsewhere, the Portugal women’s national basketball team competed in a EuroBasket qualifying match against Denmark, and Sporting CP’s men’s basketball team faced Rilski Sportist in the FIBA Europe Cup.
Statistical Breakdown of the Match
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Nil Roca | Benfica | 2 |
| Gonçalo Alves | FC Porto | 2 |
| Charles Di Benedetto | FC Porto | 1 |
Benfica Loses 3-2 to FC Porto
FC Porto won 3-2 against Benfica at the Dragão Arena on Wednesday, November 11.
Nil Roca scored both of Benfica’s goals, finding the net in the 8th and 35th minutes of the match.
The team returns to the rink on Saturday, November 14, to face Riba d’Ave in the second round of the league.
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