Goals of two Argentinian veterans inspired Benfica to come down from 2-0 to pull 2-2 against countrymen Boca Juniors in their group C Clash at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in Miami, because both parties ended up with 10 men in a fiery meeting.
After he arrived in 15 consecutive games, Benfica wasted little time to continue that point, and six minutes in a neat relocation in the left, put a chance for Renato Sanches, but he widely dragged his shot wide.
The evergreen Engel Di Maria soon started to control the pace, and his cross was skilfully taken down by Bruma, who rattled the post with his efforts in the 19th minute.
Yet the 38-Keer Portuguese champions stood behind three minutes later while Boca scored with their first meaningful attack.
Lautaro Blanco gathered the ball on the left, nutmeged his marker, Florentino Luis, and provided an inch-perfect low ball to Miguel Merentiel to distract along Anatoliy Truin.
Not resting on their laurels, the Argentines scored two goals from two shots shortly thereafter on Target-A Deep Kevin Zenon Corner was returned by Ayrton Costa by Ayrton Costa to Rodrigo Battaglia, who nodded 2-0 home.
The goals seemed to have beaten the filling from Benfica, so they were pleased to get a lifeline after the break. Nicolas Otamendi was trapped in the area and after a VAR review, Di Maria rolled into the resulting punishment to halve the shortage.
Only three goals scored after the break in the last five games of Boca, a change for AS Agias would be difficult to come by, and so it turned out, as at the hour, an Otamendi header who flew over the only effort for both parties.
The side of Miguel Angel Russo responded with another Battaglia header, but this time he could not find the target.
The mission of the Portuguese side became more difficult in the last 20 minutes – with the tensions that rise, things cooked when Andrea Belotti got a straight red card for catching Ayrton Costa in the head with a high foot.
Playing a man, however, was not out in front of Bruno Lage, who equalized for six minutes than Otamendi a header past Agustin Marchesin from an Orkun Kokcu corner.
Alvaro Carreras wasted a big chance to win, because Benfica's Winless Run slid into four games in all competitions.
In the meantime, Boca became the first Argentinian side to avoid a CWC defeat against a European side, even though Jorge Figal was sent late for a horror challenge on Florentino Luis.
Flash score Man of the match: Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica)
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