Portuguese Cup: Benfica must overcome Estoril

This Thursday at 8:15 pm, Benfica plays in the Portuguese Cup. The match from the 1st leg of the semi-final against Estoril takes place at the Coimbra da Mota.

With flawless campaigns, the canaries and the eagles are the best attack and the best defense of the Portuguese Cup, respectively. Estoril Praia scored 16 goals in five matches (3,2 per game); Benfica kept a clean sheet in the four games played.

This Thursday’s encounter is the 7th clash between the two emblems in the Portuguese Cup (62 official matches in all competitions). History tells us that the Reds have prevailed, with six wins and only one draw. The last time that the two teams locked horns was in a two-legged semi-final, in the 2016/17 season. Benfica won the tie: triumph at the António Coimbra da Mota (1-2), draw at home in the second leg (3-3).

That was the last Portuguese Cup won by the eagles – 2-1 against V. Guimarães –, the 26^th in its history. Estoril is a kind of talisman: in the four seasons they have met in the competition, Benfica has won the trophy three times.

ESTORIL'S CAMPAIGN

With five matches played in the edition of the Portuguese Cup, Estoril began its campaign against Sertanense in the 2^nd round with a 0-4 win. The goals were scored by Aziz (2), André Clóvis and Hugo Gomes.

Next, they welcomed Lusitano de Évora to the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota and won by 5-0 (André Clóvis (2), Murilo, Chiquinho and Amani).

In the 4^th round, Estoril beat Boavista by 2-1. The goals were scored by Miguel Crespo and Hugo Gomes

In the Round of 16, Estoril played away at Rio Ave and won by 1-2 (Aziz and André Vidigal).

In the quarter-final, the team under Bruno Pinheiro traveled to Madeira to face Marítimo and won by 1-3, after extra-time, with goals from Gamboa, Amani and Harramiz.

BENFICA'S CAMPAING

To reach this round of the Portuguese Cup, the eagles beat Paredes, Vilafranquense,  CF Estrela and Belenenses SAD. With 13 goals scored and none conceded, we remember the stages of the path that has already been taken...

3^rd ROUND

PAREDES-BENFICA, 0-1.

4^th ROUND

BENFICA-VILAFRANQUENSE, 5-0.

ROUND OF 16

CF ESTRELA-BENFICA, 0-4.

QUARTER-FINAL

BENFICA-BELENENSES SAD, 3-0.