That's all from us, we hope you enjoyed the return of the Champions League! We certainly did, and will see you very soon for the next instalment. Goodbye for now!
A 1-1 draw between Inter and Real Sociedad in their corresponding fixture leaves Salzburg two points clear at the top of Group D, and adds further polish to a clinical performance which took all three points from Estadio da Luz. Benfica will know how differently this game could've gone for them, and having produced a massive 15 shots with just 10 men, will certainly fancy themselves to bounce back quickly from this defeat. They'll aim to do that at the San Siro against Inter next time around, while Salzburg will host Sociedad at the Red Bull Arena in two weeks' time.
It's all over, and Salzburg open their Champions League campaign for 2023-24 with a statement victory in Lisbon! Benfica continued to have copious chances, but Schlager was unbeatable between the sticks, and the hosts were caught on the hop as Simic burst through the middle to set up Gloukh's goal just six minutes into the second half. From there, the sides went blow-for-blow, with Musa, Neves and Otamendi going closest for Benfica, and Salzburg vying for a third through Konate and Kjaergaard. No more goals would be scored though, with Salzburg holding on thanks to a sensational performance from goalkeeper Alex Schlager, and sealing a result which could prove crucial come matchday six!
90' + 5' FULL-TIME: BENFICA 0-2 SALZBURG.
90' + 3' Neves looks to find Aursnes wide to the left as attacking numbers pile forward for Benfica, but the dependable Gourna-Douath cuts out his pass - he's been everywhere for Salzburg in this game.
S. Koïta
Yellow Card
90' + 1' Koita's not happy with something, and the referee is even less so, showing the Salzburg forward a yellow card for dissent.
90' We'll play five more minutes of added time in the second half - is that enough time for Benfica to find any way back here?
K. Piątkowski
S. Pavlović
89' Pavlovic is forced off by that injury, and Kamil Piatkowski will replace the defender late on.
87' Pavlovic gets into a tangle with Gouveia and has come off second-best, and is down requiring treatment. It's a rare chance for the players to catch their breath, as another substitute warms up for Salzburg.
85' Musa's five shots totalled a rather disappointing xG of 0.56, with only two of his efforts being on target. As well as this, the 25-year-old managed to create a chance, complete four of his five dribbles, and win three of his six aerial duels in one hell of a shift up front for Benfica.
Tiago Gouveia
Rafa
83' Rafa also comes off having been similarly sublime and unlucky in equal measure, and Tiago Gouveia is on for the last throws of a game which still feels like it's got a few more goals in it.
C. Tengstedt
P. Musa
83' Musa has pulled up with a muscle injury and sadly can't continue. Casper Tengstedt comes on for the striker, who has done everything you could want from a striker in this game - aside from put the ball in the back of the net.
81' A sensational Koita turn takes three defenders out of the equation before the substitute finds Sucic ahead of him on the counter, but the Croatia midfielder is felled from behind by Neves to bring the attack to a halt.
79' Bidstrup has completed all six of his game-high six attempted tackles in this game so far, also chipping in with two clearances and winning possession a total of nine times. Shift.
77' WIDE!! Salzburg come straight back from Benfica's clearance and Kjaergaard arrives late on the left. He drills a shot towards the near post, but Trubin can watch the effort all the way as it rattles into the side netting!
76' Sucic tees up and advanced Dedic to his right, but the Salzburg captain's first-time effort is an easy one for Trubin to hold at his near post.
74' SAVED AGAIN!!! An aerial cross-field pass is headed back across goal by Bah, and Otamendi is there in the box to unleash a wild overhead kick. It's unconventional and on-target, but Schlager is there again to make the save and hold the ball on his line! What will it take for Benfica to beat this goalkeeper?
Chiquinho
O. Kökçü
72' Kokcu also comes off for Benfica, and Chiquinho will replace the Turkey midfielder as full-time ticks down.
David Neres
Á. Di María
72' Di Maria has been sublime down the right flank for Benfica, but hasn't quite been able to find that crucial finishing touch. Roger Schmidt brings on David Neres in the Argentine's place, hoping he can help rescue this game in the final stages.
O. Solet
S. Baidoo
72' Baidoo is arguably lucky to still be on the pitch after that rash challenge on Rafa, but he's taken off now anyway and Oumar Solet will slot in for his booked team-mate at centre-back.
P. Ratkov
R. Šimić
71' Simic's contribution for Salzburg cannot be understated, providing the clinical nature that Benfica have so far lacked. He's off for the remainder though, with Petar Ratkov now leading the line for the final 20 minutes.
L. Sučić
O. Gloukh
71' Gloukh's crucial second-half goal may prove to be the difference in this game, and the 19-year-old record-breaker comes off now for Luka Sucic.
N. Otamendi
Yellow Card
69' Baidoo clips Rafa late with a challenge that certainly looks worthy of a yellow card. It doesn't come though, but Otamendi does go into the book after screaming at the referee to send the Salzburg defender off.
R. Šimić
Yellow Card
67' Simic slides in looking to finish off a past break from the visitors, but he gets none of the ball and plenty of Otamendi to pick himself up a yellow card.
65' SAVED!!! Schlager to the rescue yet again for Salzburg! Baidoo concedes a corner which Di Maria delivers to the back post. Neves arrives late to send a bullet header towards the bottom corner, but the goalkeeper sticks out a leg to keep it out and his defenders clear once more! What a performance this is from the 27-year-old!
63' This is Salzburg's sixth appearance in the Champions League, twice as many as any other Austrian side. They've only progressed past the group stages once, in 2021-22, but if they can hold on to make a strong start here, who knows if 2023-24 could be the year they double that tally?
61' Kjaergaard darts into the box and cuts the ball across the face of goal from the byline, but Otamendi slides in to send it behind for a corner with Simic lying in wait at the far post.
59' SAVED!!! Musa burns past Pavlovic to run through on goal, but Schlager is equal to his powerful shot and parries the ball away again! The threat is far from over though, as Neves blasts a volley into a defender before Musa sends the second rebound wide of the far post!
S. Koïta
K. Konaté
59' Konate hasn't let that early penalty miss deter him from being a constant threat in the final third, but he comes off now with Sekou Koita looking to cause similar disruption for Benfica's reshuffled back four.
S. Baidoo
Yellow Card
58' The hosts counter at speed and Rafa taps the ball beyond Baidoo. He looks to have the beating of the defender, but Baidoo doesn't fancy testing that theory and pulls the Benfica playmaker down, immediately being shown a yellow card by the referee.
57' CHANCE!! Konate latches onto Gourna-Douath's long ball into the box and tries to bring the ball down, but Trubin is well off his line and parries the ball away before the Ivorian can pull the trigger!
56' A poor first-time clearance by Trubin is cut out and immediately sent back into the box by the visitors. Konate is the recipient and brings the ball down, but he came back from an offside position to do so and is flagged accordingly.
Rafa
Yellow Card
54' The frustration of Benfica is starting to show now, as Rafa needlessly slides in on Bidstrup after losing the ball, conceding a free-kick and picking up a textbook yellow card.
52' 19-year-old Gloukh becomes the youngest ever Israeli player to score in the Champions League, breaking the current record held by Manor Solomon (20 years and 69 days v Atalanta in October 2019).
R. Šimić
Assist
51' The work from Simic there was absolutely world class. The turn, the run, and the knowledge that Gloukh was there in support was too much for Benfica to handle, and he's now been directly involved in both of Salzburg's goals.
O. Gloukh
Goal
51' GOOOOOOAAAALLLL!!! Salzburg soak up the pressure and score their second!!! A misplaced Benfica pass is seized upon by Kjaergaard, who passes forward to Simic. A sensational turn from the Croatian takes him away from Aursnes, and he bears down on goal, engaging Trubin before teeing up the supporting Gloukh to tap the ball into an empty net!! So much Benfica pressure at one end, but Salzburg go right up the other and double their lead to make it 2-0!
50' WHAT A SAVE!!! Bah's inside ball is dummied by Musa, who is immediately found in the box by Rafa. He shoots low from the right, but Schlager does brilliantly to get down, make the save, and push the ball away once again!
49' A loose Pavlovic pass is intercepted and leaves the defender in no-man's land when the ball is clipped over the top to Di Maria. He races in behind, but Baidoo follows him like a shadow and wins possession back for Die Roten Bullen!
48' No team generated more shots (21) or scored more goals (five) following high turnovers than Benfica in the Champions League last season, and that's a tactic they've also tried to exploit in this game. - to no avail so far!
46' Musa resumes proceedings for Benfica, who will throw everything they're got at Salzburg in the second half, hoping to find that elusive equaliser!
We're back, and raring to go ahead of second half kick-off. If it's anything like the first, this raucous crowd at Estadio da Luz are in for a treat - but they'll only see it that way if Benfica can manage to rescue the game!
Well, what a first-half we've just witnessed in Lisbon! Played at a frenetic pace throughout, Benfica goalkeeper Trubin set the tone for a crazy 45 minutes when he conceded a penalty inside 90 seconds, taking out Pavlovic off the ball from the game's first corner. Konate blazed the early spot-kick over the crossbar, but after another moment of madness saw Antonio Silva sent off for a handball on the line, his strike partner Simic stepped up to slot Salzburg into a 1-0 lead. From there though, 10-man Benfica took control, with Joao Mario, Di Maria, Rafa and Musa all going close for the hosts. Salzburg have the post, goalkeeper Schlager and defender Baidoo to thank at one end, and Simic's clinical finishing at the other!
45' + 5' HALF-TIME: BENFICA 0-1 SALZBURG.
45' + 4' CHANCE!! Terzic crosses from the left and causes havoc in Benfica's box, as neither goalkeeper Trubin nor Salzburg strikers Simic or Konate can get to the ball before it's cleared by Otamendi!
45' + 1' We're into five added minutes at the end of this absolutely breathless first half.
45' Musa races around the outside of Pavlovic and into the area, but the Salzburg defenders recovers quickly and does just enough to force the striker into blazing his effort wide!
44' Kjaergaard concedes a free-kick, which is floated into the area by Kokcu. Otamendi rises highest, but his header is an easy one for Schlager to hold!
43' Neves looks to beat Gloukh down the right but is barged over by the midfielder, winning Benfica another deep free-kick in a wide position.
43' Despite Benfica playing the last half-hour with just 10 men, it's largely been one-way traffic towards Salzburg's goal since they opened the scoring. The woodwork, goalkeeper, and defence have all put in last-ditch stops so far, the only question is can the visitors keep this valiant effort going at the back?
41' Salzburg have never kept a clean sheet in 16 Champions League away games - the most matches any side have played on the road without ever keeping a shutout - but with desperate defence like that, could this be the day?
39' OFF THE LINE!!! Salzburg survive!! Rafa cuts inside before slipping Musa in behind with an exquisite throughball. The Croatian's first-time shot deflects off Schlager and is still heading for goal, but not before Baldoo races back to scoop the ball off the line and away from danger! What a stop from the defender!
37' This is the first ever competitive meeting between Benfica and Salzburg. Benfica have never lost against Austrian opponents in any competition, winning five of their eight encounters and most recently beating Austria Wien 4-1 on aggregate in qualifying for the 2006-07 Champions League.
35' A Kjaergaard shot from the edge of the box is blocked and Di Maria races away on the counter, but Pavlovic is back in cover to win possession back for Die Roten Bullen.
34' CHANCE!!! Di Maria and Bah combine once more and the Dane crosses to the front post, where Rafa arrives on the volley. He can't get a clean connection on the ball though, and it flashes across the face of goal before being cleared!
32' SAVED!!! Di Maria's corner swings into the box with some venom, forcing Schlager into a rushed parry to prevent conceding directly from the set-piece! He can only push the ball as far as Morato though, but he can't react in time and sends a looping header over the top.
31' Di Maria and Bah link up in a fast counter down the right from Benfica, but the latter's cross is put behind by Gourna-Douath.
29' Smart inter-play down the left from Salzburg has Kjaergaard, Simic, Gloukh and Terzic all involved, but Otamendi slides across with a well-timed tackle to cut the attack out and concede a corner.
27' OVER!!! Musa sprints and stretches to keep a seemingly lost ball in the field of play, and Rafa is the recipient of his cross. He lays it off to Di Maria, who can't keep his effort down and the ball sails over the top!
25' SAVED!!! Di Maria steps up to take the free-kick he won, and curls a powerful shot towards the top corner which is tipped wide by Schlager!
24' Benfica win a free-kick advantage and play the ball wide to Di Maria. He cuts onto his left foot and almost beats Kjaergaard, but is fouled by the Salzburg man right on the edge of the visitors' 18-yard box.
22' The Benfica free-kick is swung in from deep by Bah, but Schlager is well placed to punch the ball well clear, and he doesn't take anyone out in the process either!
L. Gourna-Douath
Yellow Card
21' Di Maria glides past Gourna-Douath with a clever step inside, but he's immediately clipped late by the Salzburg midfielder, who goes into the book.
20' WIDE!!! Gourna-Douath sets off on a fantastic driving run through the middle, before picking out Konate in the box with a good throughball. He cuts it back for Gloukh to drill a first-time shot wide of the far post, before play is brought back for an offside against the Ivorian!
18' That's Antonio Silva's maiden red card in 36 Champions League appearances, as he becomes the first Benfica player to see red in a Champions League match since September 2018!
Morato
João Mário
16' With one of their two centre-backs off for the rest of the game, Benfica boss Roger Schmidt is forced into a rotation and takes off Joao Mario for Brazilian defender Morato to slot into the back four.
R. Šimić
Penalty Goal
15' GOOOOOAAAALLL!!!! Salzburg score the opener!! Simic steps up in Konate's place and makes absolutely no mistake, burying the ball in the bottom-right corner and sending Trubin the wrong way to give his side a 1-0 lead from the spot at the second time of asking!
António Silva
Red Card
13' HE'S OFF!!! Salzburg have another penalty!!! A fantastic ball played into Simic sees him engage Trubin before pulling wide. His cross takes a massive deflection off Otamendi and sails over the goalkeeper's head, but Silva is back on the line in cover. Bizarrely, he handles the bouncing ball with Konate closing in, gifting Salzburg a spot-kick and giving the referee no option but to show him a straight red card!
12' OFF THE POST!!! Benfica switch the play quickly from right to left, and Aursnes crosses back into the middle to tee up Mario. He takes a touch before shooting low, but the ball bounces back off the base of the far post! Musa is there for the follow-up, but can't react in time and hits the same post with a close-range effort before it's finally cleared!
10' The ball drops kindly for Mario in the box and he lashes a volley towards goal. It strikes Dedic in the back as he jumps in the way to block it, and the referee calls play-on as the home crowd appeal for handball!
9' Rafa races down the right flank and cuts the ball back for Musa and Mario in the box, but Dedic times his intervention beautifully and clears for the visitors!
8' Bidstrup brings down an aerial ball and darts into the Benfica box, floating in a cross from the right which is put behind for a corner by Otamendi!
6' A poor header backwards from Silva is nodded tamely into no-man's land, and its intended target Trubin has to race out of his box to clear the ball ahead of Konate running in behind!
5' Salzburg are winless in both of their previous away games against Portuguese opponents, losing to Sporting in November 1993 (UEFA Cup) and drawing with Vitoria Guimaraes in September 2017 (Europa League) - had that penalty gone in, they would've been on their way to ending that record!
K. Konaté
Penalty Miss
3' OVER!!!! Salzburg's dream start becomes a nightmare! Konate steps up from 12 yards with Trubin looking to redeem himself, but the goalkeeper can only watch as the 19-year-old's penalty blazes over the crossbar! A woeful effort from Konate, and a massive, massive let-off for Benfica!
A. Trubin
Yellow Card
2' A WILD START!!! Salzburg win an early corner, which is swung towards the front post! Trubin jumps to punch the ball clear, but clatters into Pavlovic off the ball. The referee points to the spot for the earliest of early penalties, and shows the Benfica goalkeeper a yellow card for good measure!
1' Simic kicks off for Salzburg, and we're underway amidst this sea of red on the Atlantic coast!
The teams enter the field of play at the Estadio da Luz, and we're just moments away from kick-off in front of packed-out crowd in Lisbon!
Die Roten Bullen have also started the season in good form, and have unearthed yet another gem in Ivorian striker Karim Konate. The 19-year-old has already scored four goals in the league and six in all competitions, and partners Roko Simic up top for the visitors.
Angel Di Maria’s form has blossomed since his return to the Portuguese capital, scoring five goals in six games since re-signing for Benfica. Fellow forwards Rafa Silva and Petar Musa have also netted more than once this season, with all three joining Joao Mario in a front four that should cause Salzburg plenty of problems.
SALZBURG SUBS: Nico Mantl, Kamil Piatkowski, Nicolas Capaldo, Dijon Kameri, Luka Sucic, Andreas Ulmer, Sekou Koita, Petar Ratkov, Oumar Solet, Amankwah Forson, Leandro Morgalla, Dorgeles Nene.
SALZBURG (4-4-2): Alexander Schlager; Amar Dedic, Samson Baldoo, Strahinja Pavlovic, Aleksa Terzic; Mads Bidstrup, Lucas Gourna-Douath, Oscar Gloukh, Maurits Kjaergaard; Karim Konate, Roko Simic.
BENFICA SUBS: Samuel Soares, Leo Kokubo, Morato, David Neres, Arthur Cabral, David Jurasek, Casper Tengstedt, Chiquinho, Joao Victor, Tomas Araujo, Tiago Gouveia, Florentino Luis.
BENFICA (4-2-3-1): Anatolii Trubin; Alexander Bah, Antonio Silva, Nicolas Otamendi, Fredrik Aursnes; Joao Neves, Orkun Kokcu; Angel Di Maria, Rafa Silva, Joao Mario; Petar Musa.
Salzburg finished third behind Chelsea and Milan in their group last season to exit the competition early, but did enter the Europa League knockout play-offs, where they also lost to an eventual Italian finalist in Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
Benfica’s march to the last eight in 2022-23 saw them beat both PSG and Juventus to the top of their group, and defeat Club Brugge 7-1 in the last 16 before losing 5-3 on aggregate to eventual runners-up Inter, exiting the competition with heads firmly held high.
Hello, and welcome to live coverage of the UEFA Champions League, as last season’s quarter-finalists Benfica kick off their 2023-23 European campaign against Salzburg in Group D.
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