A goal in each half saw Derby County’s Under 23s fall to a 2-0 defeat to a strong and confident Benfica B side in their latest Premier League International Cup outing.

Joao Carvalho got the ball rolling for the Eagles at St George’s Park, converting a left wing cross with his head after 18 minutes after the visitors had controlled the opening stages of the meeting.

Heriberto Tavares added a crucial second with a lobbed finish that just crossed the goalline despite the best efforts of Chris Weale’s initial save and Calum Macdonald’s attempted acrobatic clearance.

It is a fair assessment to say that Darren Wassall’s came up against their toughest opponents of the season to date in Staffordshire, where win would have left them on the verge of qualifying for the knockout stages of the International Cup.

Sporting a young side, Derby were, largely, indebted to a fine individual display from Weale, who pulled off a string of fine saves to deny Benfica further goals.

His first came as early as the second minute as he denied Carvalho from inside the area, before Tavares, from the edge of the box, lifted the follow up over the crossbar.

Although they would both go on to score, Derby looked a threat from set pieces early doors and it was through that method that Wassall’s men looked most like getting on the score sheet.

Farrend Rawson, the defender, had a big chance early on, as a loose ball fell into his path, but as he looked to lash his left foot at the ball, a covering defender came across to turn his strike over the crossbar.

The lively Carvalho was denied a second time before he did score as he collected a clever pass from Yuri Ribiero, following a strong run from Alan Dominguez on the right side, but he could only shoot tamely at Weale.

Third time lucky, he made no mistake as he and Ribiero combined once more - the latter crossing from left and Carvalho nodding in from a central position beyond Weale, who could do very little about it.

Content having made their break through, the Portuguese visitors seemed in no rush to add a second as chances dried up.

For Derby, Mason Bennett, making his first start of the season, dragged a shot wide and Rawson, from an Alefe Santos corner, looped a header over as they sought a way back into the game.

Santos registered the Rams’ best chance of the half on the cusp of the interval, switching the ball on to his right foot after a swift break from the hosts, but he was denied by Ivan Zlobin in the Eagles’ goal.

A goal down at the break, the pattern of the contest did not really alter in the second half as Benfica controlled the game.

They should, however, have added further goals, particularly late on, but the Rams did still craft their own openings.

Alex Cover was next with Derby’s clearest opportunity as he headed Callum Guy’s free kick narrowly wide of goal, although Benfica went even closer to doubling their advantage no more than a minute later as Tavares headed over Diogo Goncalves’ precise cross.

It proved a brief respite as Benfica duly doubled their lead as Josh Lelan did not quite get the connection he wanted a long punt up field, heading the ball into the path of Tavares, who took his time before lobbing Weale. Macdonald scampered back to acrobatically cleared, but the goal was adjudged to have crossed the line.

There were two further chances for the Portuguese outfit to add to their tally, as Weale produced two fine saves – denying Eucioda’Icio Gomes and Ivan Saponjil when they were clean through on goal.

Emil Riis Jakobsen had Derby’s best chance late on to halve the deficit after a strong run from Guy led to the ball being played into his path, but on his left foot, he could only shoot over the crossbar as the visitors saw the contest out.

Derby County U23s: Weale, Lelan, Cover, Rawson (Macdonald, 62), Stabana; Hanson (Babos, 62), Guy; Gordon, Vernam, Santos; Bennett (Jakobsen, 74)

Substitutes not used: Ravas, Cresswell

S.L. Benfica B: Zlobin, Costa, Dias, Dominguez, Gomes, Goncalves (Saponjil, 75), Rodrigues, Carvalho (Balde, 61), Tavares (Buta, 79), F. Ferreira, Ribeiro

 

Substitutes not used: A. Ferreira, Amaral, Escoval, F. Ferreira

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