THURSDAY 10TH APRIL 2014
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE LAST EIGHT – SECOND LEG
BENFICA 2-0 AZ ALKMAAR
Benfica win 3-0 on agg.
Two back-post finishes from Rodrigo lead Benfica to a final four spot in the Europa League defeating Dick Advocaat’s AZ Alkmaar 2-0 to by three goals on aggregate.
The hosts took the lead in the 37th minute as Rodrigo got his first tapping home from six-yards out after being teed up by Eduardo Salvio. The young Argentine winger almost doubled the lead just before the interval but Salvio’s strike from inside the area drew a fine stop from AZ goalkeeper Esteban Alvardo.
It took 65 minutes before AZ got their first chance of a goal through full-back Mattias Johansson, the Swede’s effort from distance forced Artur Guilherme De Morães Gusmão into a fine save. Seven minutes later and Rodrigo stuck the final nail in AZ’s coffin with a comfortable finish from close range after getting on the end of another Salvio’s cross.
The visitors failed to trouble Benfica throughout, and left the competition where they had starred so brilliantly all season with a whimper.
TEAMS
BENFICA: Artur, Silvio (Almeida 4), Luisao, Garay, Siqueira, Sulejmani (Marković 70), Gomes, Fejsa (Pérez 64), Salvio, Cardozo, Rodrigo.
SUBS NOT USED: Lopes, Jardel, Djuričić, Lima.
GOALS: Rodrigo 39, 71.
BOOKINGS: Salvio 31, Andre Gomes 73.
AZ: Esteban, Johansson, Gouweleeuw, Wuytens, Viergever, Gudelj, Ortiz (Henriksen 79), Elm, Berghuis (Gudmundsson 77), Jóhannsson, Beerens (Haye 77).
SUBS NOT USED: De Winter, Reijnen, Gorter, Avdic.
GOALS: None.
BOOKINGS: Berghuis 23.
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