Benfica botch gift goal opportunity

You’d expect a professional football team to bury an indirect free kick just 5.5m from goal but it might not be as easy as it sounds after Portuguese giants Benfica botched just such a gilt-edged chance.

Benfica were correctly awarded an indirect free kick on the edge of the six-yard box when New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles illegally picked up a back-pass from one of his defenders.

With scores locked at 1-all late in the first half of the International Champions Cup clash, the Red Bulls crowded eight players including the goalkeeper into the goalmouth.

With Benfica unable to shoot first time, footage shows Benfica’s Andreas Samaris meander too long laying the ball off to Pizzi, allowing a charging Robles to easily block the shot into the vacant top left corner.

The set-piece miss proved costly for the reigning Portuguese champions, with the Red Bulls going on to record a 2-1 win.