Gonçalo Oliveira making waves, set to give Benfica a real headache | OneFootball

Gonçalo Oliveira will return to Benfica after the international break, looking to secure more opportunities in the main squad under Bruno Lage's command. The young center-back was a starter in Portugal's under-21 match, where he delivered a solid performance in the 5-0 rout against Azerbaijan.

The young Eagles center-back, who last season played for Benfica's under-23 team, helping Vítor Vinha's side win the Taça Revelação, had the honor of being one of the first choices of the Portuguese coach, who made his debut at the helm after Rui Jorge's departure following the elimination from the European Championship.

In a one-sided match, Gonçalo Oliveira, who has been rotating between the main squad and Benfica B, coached by Nélson Veríssimo, played the full 90 minutes at the heart of Portugal's defense. Despite overwhelming dominance in the first 45 minutes, the ball never found its way into the opponent's net.

However, the story of the second half was quite different, truly showcasing the Portuguese dominance. In just eight minutes, between the 48th and 56th minute, Rodrigo Mora, Geovany Quenda, and Leonardo Barroso scored three goals for Portugal. Before the final whistle, Carlos Forbs and Vivaldo Semedo still had time to seal the 5-0 result.

After a good performance in his debut for Portugal's under-21s, Gonçalo Oliveira is now seeking more playing time with Benfica's team, and he's not the only one. Yesterday, João Rego and Leandro Santos also stood out in the under-20 team's 3-0 win over the Czech Republic, in the Elite League.

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