At Braga Municipal stadium on 28/12, Benfica took the lead with a header from Nicolas Otamendi in the 29th minute. Subsequently, Rodrigo Zalazar and Pau Victor scored, giving SC Braga the advantage at halftime. In the 53rd minute, Fredrik Aursnes scored a spectacular goal from outside the box, equalizing for Benfica.

The visiting team seemed to have found the winning goal in the 74th minute. Richard Rios challenged and dispossessed Carvalho inside the penalty area, then passed to Samuel Dahl, who shot into an open net. However, the referee blew the whistle, ruling that Rios had fouled Carvalho, despite the Benfica midfielder having only light contact with his opponent. The video assistant referee (VAR) did not overturn the on-field decision, meaning Benfica's goal to make it 3-2 was disallowed.

Benfica's goal to make it 3-2 was disallowed.

"We won 3-2, a very important victory," Mourinho said sarcastically after the match. "In the first half, Braga played better than Benfica. We only had a brief period of superiority and scored from a set piece, but overall, Braga was the better team."

According to "the Special One", Benfica completely dominated the second half. "In the second half, only Benfica was on the field. The players took responsibility, turned the game around, and scored the third goal. It was a valid goal, with all due respect to Braga," he stated.

Mourinho emphasized that he had reviewed the controversial incident directly from the bench. "I saw the play from the bench, there was some doubt about the distance, but I watched it repeatedly, perhaps on the same screen as VAR, and it was a valid goal. But in the end, it was not recognized," he questioned.

Coach Jose Mourinho reacts during the Benfica SC Braga 2-2 match in round 16 of the Portuguese National Championship. *Photo: Ojogo*

Similarly, Benfica President Rui Costa was furious with the referee's and VAR's decision. "There was a disallowed goal that no one has explained yet. I cannot understand that decision," he said. "That situation was not a foul. That goal could have brought victory for Benfica, but we only left with one point."

Costa suggested that the competence of referees involved in controversial decisions needs to be reviewed, while emphasizing, "Benfica will continue to question what is happening in Portuguese football."

With the 2-2 draw, Benfica remains third in the Portuguese National Championship with 36 points, seven points behind league leaders Porto and having played one more match. On 3/1, Mourinho's team will return home to host Estoril Praia, the club currently in ninth place.

By Hong Duy (according to Abola)