The technically superior Benfica moved towards the quarterfinals of the Champions League by winning 2-0 at the Bruges stadium, this Wednesday in the first leg of the round of 16.

Joao Mario from the penalty spot (51st minute) and David Neres (88) scored for the current leader of the Portuguese championship, deprived of world champion Argentine Enzo Fernández, signed for Chelsea in the recent market. The second leg will be played in Lisbon on Tuesday, March 7.

Living without Enzo

The Portuguese formation, which surpassed PSG and Juventus in the group stage, confirmed the status of favorites against the Cinderella of the round of 16.

Struggling in their league, in which they are fourth, 20 points behind leaders Gent, Bruges started very strongly this Wednesday, under the impetus of Dutch international Noah Lang from the top of the attack.

For the Belgians, who beat Porto, Bayer Leverkusen and Atlético in the group stage, they could not impose their enthusiasm in front of the greater technical quality of the Lisboners.

Landing in Bruges in January to replace Carl Hoefkens, England coach Scott Parker found no way to disrupt the visitors’ leisurely play.

With no real 9 in his eleven, the former Fulham manager gave Benfica’s defense a quiet night.

Face a Portuguese side managed by Roger Schmidt trying to adjust to the departure of Enzo, who was signed by Chelsea for 121 million euros ($129 million) at the end of January.

Goal by David Neres

Las Águilas relied on the good form of another world champion, central defender Nicolás Otamendi, who also contributed in attack.

After half an hour of the game, Rafa Silva was close to scoring at 1-0, but his volley flew over the goalpost defended by Simon Mignolet.

Then the Portuguese representative Gonzalo Ramos brought 27,000 Belgian fans into a cold sweat. The attacker, the author of a spectacular hat-trick in the round of 16 of the World Cup against Switzerland (6-1), was close to scoring in the 36th minute.

Finally, Portugal’s supremacy found its reward with a penalty shot by midfielder Joao Mario after Jack Hendry’s foul on Ramos.

And two minutes before the end, it was the Brazilian forward David Neres who took advantage of Bjorn Meijer’s mistake, which left the historical Portuguese club with a place on the plate. (D)