Benfica B secured another 1-1 draw in the Premier League International Cup, this time against Nottingham Forest, leaving the Portuguese side trailing group leaders despite their opponent being reduced to 10 men late in the match.
The result places Benfica B third in Group C with just two points after two games. Both Paris Saint-Germain and Dinamo Zagreb B currently lead the group with six points each.
Nottingham Forest took an early lead in the 13th minute with a goal from Jimmy Sinclair. Benfica B’s right-back, Duarte Soares, leveled the score in the 37th minute, ensuring the teams entered halftime tied.
The English side was reduced to 10 men in the final minutes of the game when Adam Berry received a direct red card in the 87th minute. However, Benfica B was unable to capitalize on the numerical advantage to secure a winning goal.
The draw follows Benfica B’s 1-1 result against Brighton in the opening round of the tournament.
Coach Nélson VerÃssimo’s team will play their next match in the competition on January 7 against Chelsea U21. The Chelsea youth squad has recorded two losses in their fixtures so far.
Benfica B’s starting lineup included Ricardo Ribeiro; Duarte Soares, Guilherme Gaspar, Rui Silva, Tiago Parente; Eduardo Fernandes, Tomás Cruz, Federico Coletta, Francisco Neto; Peter Edokpolor, and José Melro. Substitutions included Vladimir Mendes for Parente (61st), Jaden Umeh for Fernandes (61st), and André Gomes for Melro (67th).