CHARLOTTE, North Carolina :Benfica’s Andreas Schjelderup struck in the first half to seal a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in sweltering heat on Tuesday, sending the Portuguese side to the top of Group C at the Club World Cup.
After securing their first-ever victory over Bayern, Benfica will face Chelsea or Esperance de Tunis in the last 16. Bayern, finishing second, are set to face Group D leaders Flamengo.
“I think our first half wasn’t good at all. With the pitch and the heat, I just feared this wouldn’t go as fluid as normal,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany told DAZN.
“It’s football. If you have chances and don’t take them, you pay the price… (against Flamengo) it’s going to be a tough game. We know we can create chances.”
Schjelderup broke the deadlock after 13 minutes, netting with a first-time effort from Fredrik Aursnes’ low cross from the right, capitalising on a lapse in Bayern’s back line.
With Bayern already assured of a place in the next round, their rotated lineup lacked urgency and failed to register a single shot on target in a flat first half.
The German champions improved after the break and Joshua Kimmich thought he had equalised only for his effort to be ruled out for a Harry Kane offside just past the hour mark.
Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin played a key role in preserving the lead, producing sharp saves to deny Aleksandar Pavlovic and Leroy Sane.
“It was a good game against an amazing team, it was not only me, it was the whole team,” said Trubin, who was named man of the match. “It was extremely hot but we did our job.”
