Official Cup

Estadio da Luz
Spectators: 195 (Terracing: 147, Seating: 45, VIP seats: 3) FC NATIONAL's Rafael Cutberto started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. Trey Easley fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 3rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Bogdan Lobonț having to interfere. Herb Good took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Phaiakes Paraskevopoulos, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. 6 minutes into the match, Sport Lisboa e Benfica's goal looked a bit too open when Octavian Popescu came free, but Herb Good reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 10th minute, Octavian Popescu left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The FC NATIONAL fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-1. Marios Kotsilimbas kicked well hit freekick during the 12th minute of the match. The supporters of FC NATIONAL booed when Sport Lisboa e Benfica was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 14 match minutes in a wonderful position. Rainier Steiner didn't get a good kick on the ball. Herb Good made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Phaiakes Paraskevopoulos in the 16th minute of play. In the 17th minute of the match, Jean Britton tried to roll the ball into the goal by the right post, but Bogdan Lobonț saw his intentions and got control of the ball before it passed the line. FC NATIONAL's Bogdan Lobonț proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 20th minute of the match, managed to save FC NATIONAL from getting a goal against them. A sloppy throw-in by Mukul Muka in the 25th minute of the game went astray and was snapped up by Sport Lisboa e Benfica's Du Lei Bin. The crowd rose to their feet as Jean Britton kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Bogdan Lobonț. That made the score 1-1 in the 26 minute of play. In the 29th minute of the game Mukul Muka made a throw-in which Alpheios Koutsoubos played forward. An unexpected shot in the 31st minute by Du Lei Bin got the crowd on their feet, but to their dismay it went out on the left side. Herb Good made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Phaiakes Paraskevopoulos in the 34th minute of play. FC NATIONAL's defense didn't have a chance, in the 37th minute, when Jean Britton scored to the left of an out of position Bogdan Lobonț, making the score, 2-1. In the 39th match minute, Sport Lisboa e Benfica was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Jean Britton to maneuver through the defense. After 41 played minutes FC NATIONAL got a freekick which was hit by Alpheios Koutsoubos. The audience thought a goal was coming when Jean Britton got free with Bogdan Lobonț in the 42nd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. In the 44th minute Marios Kotsilimbas shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Herb Good saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 2-1 at half-time.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Jean Britton to make the kick off. 51 minutes into the match, Sport Lisboa e Benfica's Jean Britton sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Bogdan Lobonț narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Sport Lisboa e Benfica's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Barış Birsoy in the 52nd minute. The corner went over the outstretched arms of FC NATIONAL's goalie and right to Du Lei Bin. He fired away a shot at goal, but the shot had too much spin, and it went just outside the goal. FC NATIONAL's manager breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines as his team had managed to escape an almost certain goal. After 59 minutes of play, Sport Lisboa e Benfica's Jean Britton made it 3-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Bogdan Lobonț was left in no man's land by his defense there! 63 minutes into the match, Sport Lisboa e Benfica's Jean Britton sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Bogdan Lobonț narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Collin Grimm received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 64th minute. Bogdan Lobonț tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Bogdan Lobonț took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Jean Britton, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Marios Kotsilimbas could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 69th minute of the match, but Herb Good made a huge save. In the 76th minute Jean Britton shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Bogdan Lobonț saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The corner led Sport Lisboa e Benfica's Collin Grimm to fire away a dangerous shot which Bogdan Lobonț despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. After 86 minutes of play, Sport Lisboa e Benfica's Jean Britton made it 5-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Bogdan Lobonț was left in no man's land by his defense there! An unexpectedly hard shot by Marios Kotsilimbas in the 89th minute of play forced Sport Lisboa e Benfica's goalkeeper Herb Good to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After 92 played minutes FC NATIONAL got a freekick which was hit by Marios Kotsilimbas. Herb Good showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Phaiakes Paraskevopoulos in the 94th minute of the match. In the 96th minute, Octavian Popescu ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Herb Good was frozen by the shot and now it was 5-2. For all the effort they put into the match, the FC NATIONAL players left disappointed. They had fought hard, but couldn't break down the home team's defense. The match ended in a win for Sport Lisboa e Benfica.