Lisbon (Reuters) – Casa Pia coach Gonçalo Brandão lauded his squad’s “great spirit” and resilience after they secured a surprising 2-2 draw against Portuguese football giants Benfica at Estádio da Luz.
The result saw the Lisbon-based club defy expectations against a dominant opponent on their home turf. Brandão expressed significant satisfaction with the team’s attitude in a challenging environment.
“It was the game we expected, with Benfica having more possession,” Brandão told Sport TV following the match. “Our objective was to hold on without retreating too much, but Benfica pushed us back a lot.”
He added that “the boys held on well until the end, with great spirit, and only that way was it possible to achieve this against such a difficult opponent and on a field like this.”
Brandão specifically highlighted the performance of Larrázabal, who played on the left side. “Larra is very comfortable playing on the left, he is very strong in one-on-one offense and defense, and Benfica is very strong on that flank,” the coach explained.
He also credited Kelian Nsona for strong defensive support in that area of the pitch.
When asked about refereeing decisions, specifically a penalty call and a supposed foul preceding Benfica’s second goal, Brandão declined to comment. “I’m going to be honest, I didn’t see either of the plays and I took advantage of the stoppages to correct positions,” he stated. “I don’t like to talk about refereeing and I don’t want to do it.”