Braga beat Benfica in a penalty shootout to reach the Taça de Portugal semi-finals | OneFootball

Braga got past Benfica in an action packed Taça de Portugal quarter-final clash at the Quarry.

Gonçalo Guedes headed the Eagles into the lead in the 15th minute, the visitors soon reduced to 10 men when Alexander Bah was sent off for an ugly challenge on Pizzi.

Al Musrati equalised before the break but Braga were unable to turn their numerical superiority into a second goal.

The contest was settled from the penalty spot, the first six converted before Matheus denied Fredrik Aursnes. Braga held their nerve, scoring all five spot kicks to set up a semi-final clash against Nacional da Madeira.

All action first half

Fredrik Aursnes shot straight at Matheus before Braga had a great opportunity to take the lead in the 10th minute.

Nuno Sequeira’s free kick was cleared directly to Sikou Niakaté, the centre back shooting straight at Nicolás Otamendi who headed the ball away from danger.

Five minutes later Benfica took the lead from a well worked corner routine. João Mário played it short to David Neres, his cross finding Gonçalo Guedes who got in front of Abel Ruiz and headed past Matheus.

The match took a big turn in the 31st minute when the Eagles were reduced to 10 men. Alexander Bah crunched Pizzi’s ankle, the defender initially given a yellow card which was upgraded to red after referee Tiago Martins witnessed the severity of the challenge on the touchline monitor.

Tensions were boiling in the dugouts with the customary cards issued to assistant coaches and/or other insignificant performers who routinely take turns at abusing officials.

Roger Schmidt brought on Gilberto for Guedes, the goalscorer surely wondering what was going on after scoring the opener and feeling he should have been awarded a penalty in the 19th minute.

It took five minutes for Braga to settle the score.

Vítor Tormena flicked André Horta’s corner into the path of Al Musrati, the midfielder completely unmarked at the back post where he side footed the ball into the net.

Schmidt battens down the hatches

Schmidt made two changes at half time with Morato and Gonçalo Ramos replacing Florentino and Neres, switching to a rough 5-3-1/3-5-1 formation and seemingly content to keep it tight and take his chances in a penalty shootout.

Artur Jorge was also busy at the break, Pizzi either unable to recover or sacrificed for speed as Bruma entered the fray.

Braga were looking far more likely to break the deadlock but couldn’t find open space against Benfica’s low block.

Simon Banza replaced Račić in the 60th minute and it was no surprise when Jorge turned to his most creative weapon seven minutes later, Ricardo Horta replacing Iuri Medeiros.

Benfica were looking like the only way they could score would be taking advantage of an error or a set piece. They went close through the former in the 69th minute, Aursnes dragging his shot narrowly wide after Braga turned the ball over in a dangerous position.

Vlachodimos gets busy

The action soon returned to the other end, André Horta unleashing a fierce drive that Odysseas Vlachodimos tipped over the bar, the Greek keeper fumbling an attempt to punch away the resulting corner which presented a chance for Musrati which was blocked.

Ricardo Horta replicated his brothers attempt minutes later, his shot heading towards the top corner before Vlachodimos dived to tip the ball wide.

Goncalo Ramos headed Joao Mario’s cross wide but the lone striker was feeding off scraps. Otamendi was booked for going through the back of Ruiz in the 83rd minute, presenting Ricardo Horta with a free kick that he couldn’t direct on target.

Jorge made his final two regulation time changes in the 85th minute when André Horta and Ruiz made way for André Castro and Álvaro Djaló, his side going close in added time when Banza’s backheel bounced off the post.

Extra time action

Schmidt introduced Rafa for the injured Ramos at the start of extra time, the break coming at a bad moment for Braga who were unable to maintain their momentum.

Morato clumsily brought down Banza on the edge of the box, Ricardo Horta powering the free kick into Morata’s head and firing the follow up over the bar.

Morato took out Djaló in the final minute of extra time to receive his second yellow card, the defender showing zero care factor at receiving his marching orders.

Matheus steps up once again

The first six spot kicks were converted before Matheus dived the right way to deny Aursnes.

It was the pivotal moment, Musrati stepping up and sending Vlachodimos the wrong way to make it five from five to send the Warriors into the semi-finals where they will face Nacional over two legs.

Battle continues off the pitch

Braga President António Salvador was understandably in a great mood after seeing his side reach the semi-finals, saying "It was a game where three great teams were on the field. Braga, Benfica and a great refereeing team".

Roger Schmidt had a different view of Tiago Martins and his teams' performance, unhappy with the decision not to award his side a penalty in the 19th minute when they had a 1-0 advantage, "There was a clear penalty in our favor, against Gonçalo Guedes. I do not understand or accept how the referee did not even see the images. In my opinion it was a big mistake, also because it could have made it 2-0 for Benfica".

Benfica President Rui Costa saw the refereeing performance in a far different light to Salvador, "There were too many cases and too obvious to be here with half words. What happened here today has no explanation. The game started with complete dominance by Benfica. An excellent first half hour, where we scored a goal and were prevented from having a penalty to make it 2-0.

"There is a very clear penalty on Gonçalo Guedes, curiously with the same referee who a few weeks ago was doing VAR at Estádio da Luz and called, almost forced, Artur Soares Dias to award a penalty against us against Sporting, in a tackle with exactly the same dynamics, this one with more intensity, but turned a blind eye. Mr. Fábio Melo, VAR, also turned a blind eye to that same move."

Costa had a fair point with the penalty call, but bizarrely compared Bah's challenge on Pizzi to an incident where Račić stepped on Fredrik Aursens' foot, saying "Bah's expulsion is very clear. What I cannot understand is how, in exactly the same move, Račić over Fredrik, the same referee and the same VAR manage to analyse it completely differently.

"We fought for this Cup until they let us fight. I thank the players for all their commitment, I thank the supporters who were here and those who saw it at home, scandalised by what was happening on the pitch. Believe me! The demonstration we gave is that we are strong. We played an hour and a half on an extremely difficult course, outnumbered. We did everything to continue in this Cup and they didn't allow us to continue in it."

Supporter rushed to hospital

During the minute silence before kick off, medical personnel were called into the stands to attend to a supporter in trouble. In what must have been a terrible time for friends, family, and other supporters in the vicinity, the person was carried to an ambulance after 10 minutes of attention.

Braga's Head of Communication Alexandre Carvalho said that the supporter likely suffered a heart attack, and was awaiting more news about the situation.

By at Estádio Municipal de Braga

Highlights