Benfica twice pulls away from injury-plagued Rangers in their Europa League last-16 match.
Rangers twice surrendered the lead to draw the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie against Benfica 2-2.
Despite injuries plaguing Philippe Clement’s team, Tom Lawrence, a returning midfielder, gave the visitors a thrilling early lead with a header. In first-half added time, Angel Di Maria equalized the score with a penalty kick after VAR stepped in to show that Gers defender John Souttar had used his arm inside the box.
Utility midfielder Dujon Sterling of the Light Blues scored his first goal of the game to square the score in the fifth of five minutes of extra time. However, midway through the second half, Gers defender Connor Goldson headed into his own goal, sending the match back to Glasgow on Thursday night.
The limited attacking alternatives available to Clement dominated the pre-match conversation. Oscar Cortes, who isn’t in the European team, Scott Wright, Abdallah Sima, and Rabbi Matondo were the four injured wingers he was missing. There was no natural width in the attack because Ross McCausland could only play as a substitute.
Portuguese attacker Fabio Silva, who spent two seasons with Benfica as a youth player, supported main striker Cyriel Dessers from the left with Sterling working off the right.
Under-pressure home boss Roger Schmidt was looking for his side to bounce back from their 5-0 thrashing by title rivals Porto at the weekend and he had a host of big names in the starting line-up including Argentina World Cup winners Nicolas Otamendi and Di Maria.
Around 3,500 Rangers fans were in position to see Gers goalkeeper Jack Butland make an early save at his near post from David Neres’ drive.
Soon after, they were jumping up and down with excitement as Silva released Mohamed Diomande inside the box, and he elevated the ball, allowing Lawrence, who was sprinting in, to head past the diving goalie Anatoliy Trubin.
Then, after Souttar had partially blocked his effort, Butland produced a double save, first from Neres and then from Arthur Cabral, the striker, after the ball had become free.
However, after VAR Marco Fritz intervened following another Benfica corner, the Gers defender was adjudged by referee German referee Tobias Stieler to have hit the ball with his arm as he defended the delivery and Di María sent Butland the wrong way with his assured penalty.
There was more first-half drama to come in the final minute of the five added when Sterling, signed from Chelsea in the summer, stole in to convert a deflected Silva cross from close range, with a VAR check confirming his landmark goal.
At the beginning of the second half, both teams sought for additional goals. First, Trubin stopped a shot from Silva at the other end, and then Cabral headed wide at the back post from a cross by Rafa Silva.
But in the 67th minute, Di Maria floated in a 35-yard free kick, which Goldson strained to clear but could only put past Butland, bringing Benfica level once more.
The home team felt they had a winner, but Di Maria missed the mark from 12 yards out for whatever reason.
Kemar Roofe, Ryan Jack, and Cole McKinnon replaced Dessers, Lawrence, and Sterling in the 77th minute, but Benfica’s constant pressure persisted until the final whistle.
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