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Daniel C is coming back from injury. We were drawn against Pampilhosa in an away match for the next Round of the Taca de Portugal. They are a semi-professional team in the Championship. Not a bad draw. A win there, likely, puts us in the Quarters.
We are NOT predicted two in our away game against undefeated Benfica. I wonder why not? But if we could… If we played like we just did, who knows what the results might look like. Daniel is back too. Let’s see what happens.
I begin defensive (no really?) Can we survive the onslaught of Benfica? This is the hardest match of the year, since Benfica is usually the best team in the league, as it is this year. I’ll be happy if we just don’t make a cock-up of things. Lose 1-0? Okay. 2-1? Okay. Just not 4-1 or something. For example, We just had a lovely move set up by Daniel to give Rondon the ball, who slipped behind the defense. He juked the GK, and a sliding tackle from behind dispossessed him. That’s a goal against every other team in the league. But here? Nope. An IFK results in a goal for them at the 30th. Adriano coming in off the corner, quickly, tackled in the box efficiently. No chance at anything. Half time. I tell the guys we’ve been unlucky, and they relax. I pull Mariano for Baretto in the 50s. They score again in the 60th minute. We stopped a bunch of attacks, but they got one through. After five shots in five seconds, without clearing,we allow another score at the 68th. Game. We lose 3-0.
We did damage the CL of one of their stars. Lazar Markovic, worth 8.75 mill and just 19 years old. He’s out for 8-10 months. So hey, there’s that I suppose.
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