1 week ago
10
A fiery Club World Cup showdown between legendary clubs Boca Juniors and Benfica produced three red cards on Monday night, with one player even sent off from the bench.
Portuguese outfit Benfica fought back from two goals down to claim a 2-2 draw in Miami, where Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi completed the fightback in the second half after Miguel Merentiel and Rodrigo Battaglia had given Argentinian side Boca an early lead.
Both teams were reduced to 10 men as tempers flared in a heated contest at Hard Rock Stadium, with Benfica's Andrea Belotti and Boca's Jorge Figal each seeing red while on the field.
Yet the hysterics actually started off the field when former Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain star Ander Herrera tried to shove his way through security and approach the referee while he was in the middle of a VAR review just before halftime.
Herrera was stopped and brandished a red card by referee Cesar Arturo Ramos when he was relayed the events that occurred around him.
The 35-year-old had already been substituted in the 20th minute after picking up an injury, but looked more than at full health to try and talk with the official.
Ander Herrera got the first of three red cards in a match between Boca Juniors and Benfica
In the second half, Andrea Belotti was sent off after a reckless challenge in the 72nd minute
Just before second-half stoppage time, Boca Junior's Jorge Figal was also shown a red card
Almost 25 minutes after the break, Benfica were reduced to 10 men when Belotti, who connected with a high boot to the back of the head of a Boca player, was given his marching orders for the dangerous challenge.
Ramos originally gave Belotti a yellow card on the play but was called over to review it via VAR. After a few moments inside the booth, he replaced his initial caution with a sending off.
The final red card of the game came in the 88th minute to Boca's Jorge Figal, who was late and reckless with a challenge near the touch line, right in front of a group of Benfica players warming up.
One of the sideline officials immediately stepped between the group of Benfica players and Figal to defuse another ill-tempered moment, before Ramos' straight red was quickly displayed.
The goals from Di Maria and Otamendi brought Benfica level, after they trailed 2-0 as early as the 27th minute.
Benfica and Boca Juniors are in Group C with Bayern Munich and Auckland City. On Sunday, the German giants defeated the upstart New Zealand side 10-0.
