Atzili gets a yellow card seconds before the end of the match.
90' +2
João Mário has scored a goal for Benfica! Assist by Chiquinho.
Machado gets the assist but does very little towards the goal. It's all about Joao Mario, who receives the ball in space before unleashing a rasping effort that beats Cohen.
GOAAALLLLL! JOAO MARIO SCORES! 6-1 BENFICA! The former West Ham man scores what could be the best goal of the night. Positioned on the edge of the box, nobody presses Joao Mario, with the midfielder drilling the ball into the bottom corner.
90'
Grimaldo looks to score again from a free-kick. This time from the right, he ignores options in the middle and fires the ball at Cohen who was ready for it.
89'
S. Menachem gets yellow.
Menachem commits a foul on the edge of the box and gives away a free-kick. He is also given a yellow card for his troubles.
88'
Henrique Araújo has scored a goal for Benfica! Assist by A. Bah.
Lucas Veríssimo enters the game and replaces António Silva.
GOAALLLL! ARAUJO SCORES! 5-1 BENFICA! Bah is involved again, this time sliding the ball down the right to Araujo who smashes the ball past Cohen.
Bah gets his second assist of the match through a different method. Previously crossing the ball into the box, this time his delicate pass deceives the Maccabi defence. Araujo runs free, crashing the ball into the net.
Substitution for Benfica. Silva is replaced by Verissimo for the final few minutes.
85'
S. Menachem enters the game and replaces P. Cornud.
M. Abu Fani gets yellow.
Substitution for Maccabi. Cornud is replaced by Menachem.
Fani receives a yellow card after sliding down Grimaldo.
84'
The tempo of the match has decreased. Both teams seem content with the score.
82'
Henrique Araújo enters the game and replaces Rafa.
Diogo Gonçalves enters the game and replaces David Neres.
Substitution for Benfica. Rafa is replaced by Araujo.
Substitution for Benfica. Neres is replaced by Goncalves.
77'
N. Rukavytsya enters the game and replaces F. Pierrot.
O. Arad enters the game and replaces A. Muhammad.
Substitution for Maccabi. Pierrot is replaced by Rukavytsya.
Substitution for Maccabi. Faz is replaced by Arad.
Minute
Description
73'
Rafa has scored a goal for Benfica! Assist by David Neres.
GOAALLLLLLL! RAFA SCORES! 4-1 BENFICA! The game must be over now with Maccabi’s defence collapsing in the second half. This time, Rafa chips the ball over the goalkeeper from close range after Neres poked the ball into his path.
Neres' stabbed ball towards Rafa looked like it had too much power on it. However, Rafa got there before Cohen, chipping it over him with the goalkeeper going to the ground before the shot was taken.
69'
Álex Grimaldo has scored a goal for Benfica!
GOAALLLLL! GRIMALDO SCORES! 3-1 BENFICA! Joao Mario gives the free-kick responsibility to Grimaldo. With his left foot, the Spaniard curls the ball over the wall and into the net.
68'
Joao Mario finds Rafa who flicks it towards Chiquinho who is fouled on the edge. The free-kick is within shooting range. Grimaldo wants to take it.
66'
Neres and Rafa combine on the right before the ball is fed back to Bah. He looks to find Musa again, but Seck gets across this time to head it away.
64'
Atzili's loses possession with his first involvement. He looks to go around Grimaldo but the left-back slides the ball away.
63'
M. Tchibota enters the game and replaces D. David.
O. Atzili enters the game and replaces R. Meir.
Substitution for Maccabi. David is replaced by Tchibota.
Substitution for Maccabi. Meir is replaced by Atzili.
59'
P. Musa has scored a goal for Benfica! Assist by A. Bah.
GOAALLLLLL! MUSA SCORES! 2-1 BENFICA! Rafa slides the ball down the right to Bah who puts a first-time cross into the box. Bursting towards it, Musa gets there before Seck, crashing a header past the goalkeeper who was given no chance.
That will make Bah feel better. After giving away a penalty in the first half, he plays a vital role in the goal that gives Benfica the lead. His cross is perfect, matching the run of Musa who heads it into the net.
58'
Benfica have kept the ball well in the last couple of minutes. Bah then looks to whip it into the box but his attempt is blocked by Cornud.
55'
Chery scuffs a first-time shot from inside the box. He was under pressure from Otamendi.
50'
Chery looks to beat Otamendi after Fazaz wins the ball in the Benfica half but the Argentine tackles him. He was attempting to enter the box.
48'
Rafa and Goldberg are involved once again. This time, the defender blocks a shot from the 29-year-old after he unleashed an attempt from outside the box.
47'
Rafa looks to flick the ball over the head of Goldberg but the defender reads it. The Benfica man would have been one-on-one with the goalkeeper if he was successful.
46'
Maccabi get the game back underway.
45' +4
HALF-TIME: MACCABI HAIFA 1-1 BENFICA
Rafa wins the ball on the left and searches for Neres just inside the box. The Brazilian leaves the ball, with the crosser confused with his decision. Maccabi now have the ball.
45' +3
Cornud is back on the pitch and is fine to continue.
45' +2
David Neres gets yellow.
Neres gets a yellow card after stepping on the foot of Cornud.
45'
There will be three minutes of additional time.
42'
Good move from Benfica. Rafa receives the ball on the left of the box, curling it towards Neves. His cross deflects towards the goal, with Cohen sticking out an arm to block it.
40'
Neves slides the ball down the right to Musa who is running free. From a tight angle, he ignores options in the middle, curling his shot over.
38'
Grimaldo goes close. The left-back has space just outside the box, drilling a low effort wide of the post.
36'
Meir looks to put a cross into the box from the right but Grimaldo makes his way over to crash the ball out for a throw-in. The away side have looked unsettled since losing their lead.
32'
P. Musa enters the game and replaces Gonçalo Ramos.
Chiquinho enters the game and replaces F. Aursnes.
Substitution for Benfica. Ramos, who opened the scoring, is replaced by Musa.
Another substitution for Benfica. Aursnes comes off for Chiquinho.
31'
Neres gets to the corner flag but is dispossessed by Fani. In frustration, he bundles the Maccabi man to the ground.
29'
Rafa runs inside and finds Neres who made himself available on the right. Cutting inside, his low attempt is blocked by Goldberg.
26'
Penalty goal scored by T. Chery for Maccabi Haifa!
GOAALLLLL! CHERY SCORES! 1-1! Chery’s penalty is emphatic. The winger curls the ball into the right side of the net with power. Vlachodimos dives the right way but cannot get anywhere near it.
20'
Gonçalo Ramos has scored a goal for Benfica! Assist by N. Otamendi.
GOAALLLL! RAMOS SCORES! 1-0 BENFICA! Bah starts the move, curling the ball towards Otamendi. On the right of the box, the defender knocks it across to the striker who heads it low past Cohen.
Otamendi stays up from a corner, with the former Manchester City man doing brilliantly to keep the attack alive. He finds Ramos, who heads it past the goalkeeper for the opener.
15'
Grimaldo drills a pass towards Joao Mario who is positioned on the edge of the Maccabi box but a defender bursts towards the ball to intercept it.
14'
David has the ball inside the Benfica box but is crowded out by three defenders. On the right, his wild shot is blocked.
13'
Neves looks to drive forward with the ball but Cornud comes across to win possession back.
7'
Benfica have been loose in possession of the ball, regularly giving it to Maccabi in their own half.
3'
There has not been a lot of action in the opening few minutes. Maccabi had the ball on the edge of the Benfica box but it came to nothing.
1'
Benfica get this Champions League clash underway.
Hello and welcome to the live commentary for the Champions League clash between Maccabi Haifa and Benfica.
As for Benfica, they have already qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League after collecting 11 points from their five matches. It is just the second time they have escaped the group in their last five participations, also doing so last season. They confirmed their place after beating Juventus but will need help from the Serie A outfit if they want to finish at the summit of Group H. They have an identical record to that of PSG’s – drawing on both occasions with them – so will need to better their result. If they both win or lose, Benfica must overtake their four-goal advantage.
MACCABI HAIFA (4-3-3): Josh Cohen; Yosef Raz Meir, Abdoulaye Seck, Sean Goldberg, Pierre Cornud; Mohammad Abu Fani, Neta Lavi, Ali Mohamed El Fazaz; Dean David, Frantzdy Pierrot, Tjaronn Chery.
BENFICA (4-2-3-1): Odisseas Vlachodimos; Alexander Bah, Antonio Tavares Da Sila, Nicolas Otamendi, Alejandro Grimaldo; Florentino Luis, Fredrik Aursnes; David Neres, Rafa, Joao Mario; Goncalo Ramos.
BENFICA SUBS: John Brooks, Chiquinho, Diogo Goncalves, Lucas Verissimo, Joao Victor, Rodrigo Pinho, Gilberto, Petar Musa, Mihailo Ristic, Henrique Araujo, Paulo Bernardo, Helton Leite.
Maccabi are bottom of Group H after losing four out of their five matches, with their only victory coming against Juventus in their previous home match in the Champions League. Level on points with the Italians, they will only qualify for a Europa League playoff place if they collect more points in this match than Juventus do against Paris Saint-Germain. If they match the result of Massimiliano Allegri’s side, they will finish last on goal difference.
Maccabi have looked good going forward, but must be more clinical in the attack. David has had five shots, with the best being a one-on-one opportunity, but has failed to hit the target. Still, with a chance of qualifying for the Europa League, they must decide if they want to push for a winner or hold onto a point and hope PSG beat Juventus. As for Benfica, their best players have been Rafa and Grimaldo. They have combined effectively down the left and will punish the opposition if they are not stopped. Neres has been involved in the match but should look to receive the ball more often.
That's all for today. Goodbye.
Next up, Maccabi travel to Beitar Jerusalem in the Israeli Premier League, with Benfica going to Estoril Praia in the Primeira Liga.
Commentary
More…