Bold Broos sinks Benfica
Tuesday, 24 August 2004
By Berend Scholten at Constant Vanden Stock
[1] The attacking intentions of RSC Anderlecht coach Hugo Broos paid off as he watched his charges overturn a first-leg deficit against ten-man SL Benfica to book their place in Thursday's UEFA Champions League draw with a 3-1 aggregate victory.
Bold formation
[2] Broos employed three strikers in a bold formation and all three of them - Mbo Mpenza, Aruna Dindane and Nenad Jestrovic - made an impression in a convincing 3-0 win.
Wilhelmsson frustrated
[3] The Belgian side surged forward from the first whistle and went close after just five minutes when Mpenza played a high ball into the area and Christian Wilhelmsson narrowly failed to make contact.
Zitka saves
[4] The close shave shook Benfica into life and on eleven minutes Simão Sabrosa put Carlos Alves García free on the right, but he shot narrowly wide of the left-hand post. Anderlecht goalkeeper Daniel Zitka was twice called into action to stop long-range efforts, notably Tomislav Sokota's swirling effort.
Mpenza opener
[5] The home side got what they wanted in the 34th minute when Dindane beat the visiting defence in the air to meet a free-kick from Besnik Hasi and head it into the net to tie the scores on aggregate and set up a pulsating second half. The Belgian side took the lead when Anderlecht captain Walter Baseggio laid on a fine pass for Dindane on the hour and the striker shot the ball into the corner for his second of the night.
Argel off
[6] Fearing an away goal that might have put Benfica through, the majority of the 20,107 crowd breathed a sigh of relief 13 minutes later when Jestrovic's shot was handled in the area by Argel, who was duly sent off. Jestrovic himself converted the penalty to settle the tie.