Rio Ave keeper puts in monster display, denies Benfica (0-0) | OneFootball

Benfica’s U23 team began their Liga Next Gen campaign with a 0-0 draw against Rio Ave in Seixal, in a match from the second round of the first phase. The game marked both teams’ debut in the competition.

The Eagles started strongly and created danger in the very first seconds, but came up against an inspired Rodrigo Real. The 17-year-old goalkeeper denied a major chance just 45 seconds in and continued to stand out throughout the first half, preventing Benfica from turning their early dominance into a lead.

After the break, Benfica looked to take control of the match again, but continued to struggle to break through the visitors’ defensive organization. Rodrigo Real stood out once more with a quick-reflex save, while Dudu, introduced in the second half, also came close to scoring, forcing the Rio Ave keeper into a tough stop. Shortly after, Alex Sousa hit the woodwork, keeping the scoreline goalless.

Until the final whistle, Benfica tried to find the way to goal, but were unable to break the deadlock despite the chances they created. The goalless draw leaves the Eagles with one point at the start of their Liga Next Gen campaign.

The starting XI of Vítor Vinha’s team - who was in demand during this transfer window - was made up of: Leonardo Lopes (Goalkeeper), Diogo Coelho, Guilherme Gaspar, Nilson Semedo, Isaac Ferreira, Simão Constantino, Dinis Telehovschi, Diego Castel-Branco, Tiago Rodrigues, Stevan Manuel and Dilan Neves.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.