AC Milan 0-2 Benfica: Eagles make history with Europa League victory at San Siro | OneFootball

Benfica’s Daniel Banjaqui competes for the ball with Milan’s Davide Bartesaghi. (Photo: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

The feel-good factor at Benfica continues after a 2-0 victory against AC Milan in the UEFA Europa League.Marco Silva made nine changes to his starting side at San Siro in relation to the weekend win over Gil Vicente, Dodi Lukebakio starting and opening the scoring in the 16th minute. The winger had already cut inside and fired a weak shot at Mike Maignan, he drifted infield again and found the bottom corner.Georgiy Sudakov pounced on a mistake from the hosts and hit the post before Milan got into the contest.Samuel Chukwueze was looking dangerous but it was Filippo Terracciano who would test Anatoly Trubin first, his long-range strike turned wide by the goalkeeper.Benfica continued to defend well with Fredrik Aursnes and João Palhinha dropping deep. They took their lead into the break after Ardon Jashari and Omari Hutchinson missed the target followed by Alphadjo Cissé firing at Trubin.Ruben Amorim made two changes at half-time, Mario Gila and Christian Pulisic replacing Terracciano and Hutchinson.Koni De Winter fired wide from close range but Benfica withstood the onslaught and extended their lead in the 54th minute. The new left side connection got it done, Souffian El Karouani sending a cross into the box where Jakub Kaminski was left wide open to volley past Maignan.Ruben Amorim introduced Diego Moreira and Alexis Saelemaekers in an attempt to break through down the left wing. Trubin denied Pulisic before Adrien Rabiot came off the bench and couldn’t keep his effort down.The signs were clear that Benfica were going to register their first win against the Italian club when Pulisic’s low drive was tipped wide by Trubin.Daniel Banjaqui made two crucial challenges late on and Palhinha produced another important interception, Marco Silva’s side registering their eighth straight victory.

Eagles flying high

Benfica are on fire under Marco Silva, winning eight straight games with 27 goals scored. Just four have been conceded in that run.Eagles supporters are loving life under the new manager. The victory in Milan was Benfica’s first in seven attempts against the Italian club.Silva spoke to Sport TV after the victory, as quoted on Maisfutebol: “It was a great tactical job by the team. I knew that fatigue would show in those who haven’t played as much, but they did a great job.”“The players perfectly understood what we had to do differently, defensively, compared to the game against Gil Vicente. We won without conceding a goal on a difficult pitch, which is important for us, against an opponent Benfica had never beaten before.”“These kinds of records exist to be broken, and it was an opportunity for us to do it. When I entered the stadium, I felt something different, something speical in the fans’ reception of the players.”

Silva rotated his squad heavily with one eye on Sunday’s Clássico in Porto. Alessandro Circati, Souffian El Karouani and Fredrik Aursnes made their first starts of the season and made it count.Enzo Barrenechea and Leandro Barreiro will be hoping to return to the starting side at Estádio do Dragão, but Silva will be reluctant to break up the Palhinha and Aursnes partnership.