Benfica advance to Portuguese Cup final but lose key player

Benfica defeated Nun'Álvares 5-0 to secure their spot in the Portuguese Cup final. The Eagles fulfilled their duty against the only second-division representative in the semi-finals and now await the winner of the Sporting vs. Ferreira do Zêzere match, which kicks off at 9 PM.

Pelé fired a shot just wide in the first minute, signaling to Benfica that Nun'Álvares were ready to compete, but Jacaré brought them back to reality in the 2nd minute. Raúl Moreira set up the Brazilian for his 23rd successful strike of the season.

The team from Fafe never lost belief, occasionally testing André Correia, but Benfica rarely lost control of the game. The Eagles' individual quality made the difference. André Coelho found space and capitalized on it, unleashing a stunning long-range goal in the 8th minute.

Benfica were on a relatively smooth path to the final but suffered a major blow in the 17th minute. Arthur initially received a yellow card for a hard tackle on Pelé but was ultimately sent off after the referee reviewed the play.

The Brazilian international's "excessive force" will rule him out of Sunday's final. The Eagles held on while a man down and responded effectively just 33 seconds before the end of the first half.

Following a set piece in their favor, coach Cassiano Klein called a timeout. From the restart, Pany Varela served Jacaré, who laid the ball off for a precise shot from Raúl Moreira. Goalkeeper Ervilha tried to limit the damage, but he was powerless when Lúcio Rocha danced down the right wing and assisted André Coelho for his second goal in the 23rd minute.

Ervilha and André Correia exchanged brilliant saves until a costly mistake broke the deadlock. The Nun'Álvares keeper lost the ball high up the court, and Diogo Almeida seized the opportunity to score his first goal for Benfica's senior team.

It was a great moment for the 18-year-old winger, a product of the Luz academy, who got on the scoresheet in his eighth appearance. Diogo Almeida sealed the victory for Benfica, who will now compete in the Portuguese Cup final for the second consecutive year.