· 2 min readIn this Hearts vs Benfica match, I analyse the key tactical moments, individual performances and turning points of the game.
There are games that create anticipation and there are games that are simply about fulfilling the schedule. This match between Hearts and Benfica clearly fell into the second category. After the 6-1 in the first leg, the tie was completely decided and nobody believed in a comeback. Hearts’ objective was to leave a better impression in front of their fans. Benfica’s was simple: manage the result, avoid problems and confirm their place in the next round, where Aarhus will most likely be waiting.
And that’s exactly what we saw for practically the entire match.
Benfica looked more comfortable from the start and were the first team to create danger. Jhon Durán appeared early in the game and showed what everyone already knows: power in his shooting. The problem was that his first two attempts were off target.
The big question was how Hearts would manage to create chances. The answer ended up being simple: they barely did. The Scottish side had one somewhat dangerous effort through Guendouz, but Samuel Soares dealt with it without any trouble.
Meanwhile, Benfica were controlling the game. Possession went above 60% and, even without pushing too hard, the Portuguese side continued to create more danger. Richard Ríos came close to scoring after a set-piece routine, Sudakov almost appeared at the far post to finish a low cross from Durán and Lukebakio also managed to create problems down the right.
Benfica were the better side, but they were almost playing in economic mode. They were creating chances, but there was no real sense of urgency. After all, the tie was already decided.
The best chance of the first half came in the 36th minute. After a chaotic sequence inside the box, Amar Dedic appeared at the far post, headed the ball awkwardly and hit the crossbar. Shortly after, Schjelderup cut inside, shot and forced Beau Reus into a good save.
Benfica’s left side was clearly more active and that was where most of their attacking moments were coming from.
The second half started with Hearts looking more adventurous. In the 53rd minute, Calvin Miller actually put the ball into the net, but the goal was ruled out for Joshua McPakem being offside. It was an important warning, because Benfica had come out far too passive after the restart.
In fact, it was no secret that Marco Silva wasn’t happy with the team’s performance. This was mentioned several times during the game and it was perfectly clear why.
Benfica regained control and looked to be heading comfortably towards a goalless draw, but in the 77th minute, Hearts produced their best moment of the game. Kaboré managed to resist the pressure from two Benfica players, the ball fell to Magnússon and the midfielder didn’t waste the opportunity. A long-range effort and a great goal to make it 1-0.
The Scottish lead, however, lasted just one minute.
In the 78th, José Neto received the ball on the left, looked up and played it backwards. Lukebakio appeared on the edge of the box and shot quickly to level the game. A simple, direct and effective move.
Until the end, Benfica came close to a second goal through Leandro Barreiro, but Beau Reus responded once again. In the end, it barely mattered. The tie had been decided in the first leg and the draw simply confirmed what everyone already knew.
Post-match
The result of the game itself was fair, but the real result of the tie was decided in the first leg. Hearts showed more personality in this match, managed to score and left a more competitive impression.
