Club World Cup: 10-man Benfica rally against Boca to claim draw | OneFootball

Boca Juniors 2-2 Benfica

Benfica came from two goals down to claim a draw against Argentine giants Boca Juniors in a lively encounter in Group C of the Club World Cup on Monday evening.

Nicolas Otamendi’s fine late header earned the Eagles a share of the spoils from an encounter which had looked to be escaping them in the first half. Andrea Belotti’s red card and some questionable officiating were other talking points from a story full of subplots.

Boca enjoyed considerable support in the stands in Miami, with their famous blue and yellow jerseys in large numbers. Although Benfica controlled early possession, leading to Bruma striking the post, Bruno Lage’s side appeared surprised by the intensity of Boca’s challenges and the sharpness of their movement of the ball.

Twenty minutes into the match, the Argentines were ahead, Miguel Merentiel scoring from close-range after great set-up play by Lautaro Blanco, who beat Florentino Luis with ease on the left before crossing. If the first goal was a shock, the second which arrives six minutes later left Benfica reeling. This time Rodrigo Battaglia, formerly of the Eagles’ city rivals Sporting, nodded in at the back post to send the Boca fans into dreamland.

Benfica needed a response and were handed the perfect route back into the game on the stroke of half time. A reckless lunge at the ball by Boca’s Carlos Palacios saw him upend Otamendi, leading to a VAR check which resulted in a penalty. Angel di Maria, playing against his countrymen, stroked home the spot kick.

Belotti sees red

The second half bordered on farce as Boca tried to run the clock down with a succession of injury-based stoppages. Having seen substitute Ander Herrera sent off on the sidelines in the first half, the Buenos Aires side always appeared to be treading a fine line in keeping their nerve.

Yet it was Benfica who found themselves on the wrong side of discipline when Belotti was sent off for a raised foot, catching the head of Ayrton Costa during an attempt to control a high pass. VAR was again used, with Mexican referee César Ramos upgrading an initial yellow card to a red after studying video evidence.

The setback did not deter Benfica, who were rewarded with a deserved equaliser from a corner on 84 minutes, following another fracas involving players in the penalty area. When the squabbling resolved, Boca failed to pick up Otamendi, who met Orkun Kökçü’s delivery and planted an unstoppable header past Agustín Marchesín to break his fellow Argentines’ hearts.

Referee Ramos, who dismissed Boca’s Nicolás Figal for a wild challenge on Florentino to level the numbers on 88 minutes, then laughably added just five minutes to the end of proceedings, drawing an incredulous response from the Benfica players who ran out of time to cap their comeback with a late winner.

The point is a valuable one for Lage's men, given Bayern Munich are heavy favourites in the Group. Next up for Benfica is a meeting with Auckland City, the New Zealanders who were the recipients of a brutal 10-0 defeat to Bayern on Sunday.