LISBON, Portugal — Benfica handed Salzburg the chances the Austrian champion’s youthful squad needed for a 2-0 win in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Salzburg missed one early penalty but was handed another for a needless handball soon after, putting it on course for a surprise win as Benfica played more than 75 minutes with 10 players.
Benfica gave up a penalty just over a minute into the game when goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin jumped into Salzburg’s Strahinja Pavlović while trying to intercept the ball at a corner. Karim Konaté blasted the spot-kick high over the bar.
Portuguese champion Benfica — with ex-Salzburg coach Roger Schmidt — seemed to be taking control of the game when João Mário hit the post in the 12th minute but almost immediately afterward gave up another penalty.
A deflected shot looped high into the air and bounced off the crossbar onto António Silva’s outstretched arm as he tried to clear. He was sent off. This time, penalty taker Roko Šimić made no mistake and scored as Trubin dived the wrong way.
Even with 10 players, Benfica remained dangerous, led by the 35-year-old Ángel Di María, but was held at bay by fine saves from Salzburg goalkeeper Alexander Schlager before more ragged defending handed Salzburg another goal in the 51st. Four Salzburg players got in behind the Benfica defensive line on the break, giving Šimić options before he played in Oscar Gloukh to score.
Benfica made the Champions League quarterfinals in both of the last two seasons but the early loss to Salzburg is a blow to its chances of qualifying from a competitive group. Salzburg coach Gerhard Struber picked up a win in his first Champions League game after departing the New York Red Bulls in May.
Real Sociedad drew 1-1 with last season’s Champions League runner-up Inter Milan in the other game in Group D.
LONDON — Terry Venables, a former England soccer player who led the national team to the European Championship semifinals as a charismatic coach and won trophies at club level with Barcelona and Tottenham, has died.
FALMOUTH, MA – The police in Falmouth have identified the victim in an accident involving a car plunging into the ocean on February 20, NBC10 Boston reported.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Step inside the White House during the holidays by walking beneath the branches of a Christmas tree.
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF) hosts an in-person screening of Greece’s Oscar entries which compete for nominations in December - Asimina Proedrou’s top Iris Award-winner ‘Behind the Haystacks’ (Πίσω από τις Θημωνιές) and Thanasis Neofotistos’ multiple-award-winning short film ‘Air Hostess – 737’ - on Sunday, December 10, 5:30 PM, at the Gianopulos Family Theater at St.
LOS ANGELES – The Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral community is calling for cookies for the reception following the 24th Annual Christmas Concert on Sunday, December 3.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Step inside the White House during the holidays by walking beneath the branches of a Christmas tree.
UTTARKASHI, India (AP) — All 41 construction workers who were trapped in a collapsed mountain tunnel in northern India for more than two weeks were pulled out on Tuesday, bringing an end to a drawn-out rescue mission that had grabbed the country's attention for days.
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