The match between Belenenses and Benfica in the Primeira Liga was stopped prematurely on Saturday evening. Due to a corona outbreak involving thirteen players and four staff members, Belenenses started with nine players, including two goalkeepers (one was central in the defense) and six players with no experience in the competition. After the break, Belenenses returned with only seven players, after which one player was injured or pretended to be. The referee thought it was nice and stopped the game, because clubs must have at least seven players. Benfica won 0-7.
If the nine Belenenses had any hope of a stunt, it would have evaporated almost immediately after kick-off. Benfica’s first attack resulted in a cross from Valentino Lazaro’s right wing, after which Eduardo Kau worked the ball into his own goal. The score was thus opened within 24 seconds. After just under fifteen minutes, Benfica doubled the margin. Haris Seferovic received the ball in the penalty area from Rafa Silva and shot diagonally into the top left corner.
It was 0-3 at the hands of Julian Weigl, who found the top right corner with a flaming shot from outside the penalty area. With a header from close range, Darwin Núñez lifted the margin to 0-4. Moments later, the Uruguayan also made the 0-5; the goal appeared to be disallowed for offside, but the video referee saw no reason to cancel the goal. A good penalty by Seferovic after a handball by Rafael Santos resulted in the 0-6. On the stroke of half-time, Núñez completed his hat-trick after a good hood move and a hard shot from inside the penalty area.
Benfica went into the dressing rooms with a 0-7 lead. Belenenses only came to two corners in the first half and no chance. Benfica had 73 percent possession of the ball and fired seventeen attempts before half-time. In the break the chairman of Belenenses went to the dressing room crying; supporters left the stadium. Benfica made six changes. Belenenses came out of the dressing room with just seven players, ostensibly because two players had injuries, and after the break Joâo Monteiro was ostensibly injured. The game was not allowed to continue if a team had fewer than seven players and was therefore stopped prematurely.
Points deduction
It is certain that the match will have a tail. It is not known exactly what the follow-up procedure is, but Belenenses has to take into account a deduction of five to eight points. This can be awarded if the disciplinary body of the football association FPF finds that Belenenses deliberately sabotaged the match. That possibility seems to exist. Three players are said to have been injured: two remained in the dressing room during the break and one went to the grass immediately after the break.
E assim termina o jogo no jamor#sporttvportugal #ligaportugal #ligaportugalbwin #slbenfica #benfica #SLB #BelenensesSad #BFS #BFSSLB pic.twitter.com/F9RRHpoPZy
— SPORT TV (@SPORTTVPortugal) Nov 27, 2021