Vinicius scored a spectacular curling shot to help Real Madrid defeat Mourinho's Benfica.

Real Madrid asserted their dominance as European champions by securing a narrow 1-0 victory away at Benfica. In the tense first leg of the Champions League play-off, a moment of genius from Vinicius Junior shattered the disciplined defense built by Jose Mourinho.

Benfica's resilience in the first half.

The match in Lisbon began with a familiar scenario: Real Madrid took control of the ball and pushed their lines forward. Coach Alvaro Arbeloa welcomed the return of Kylian Mbappe, creating constant pressure on the opposing defense. In the 11th minute, Mbappe tested goalkeeper Trubin with a powerful shot, signaling a tough night ahead for the Portuguese team.

However, Benfica, under Jose Mourinho, were not easily subdued. The home team deployed a deep defensive formation, closing off all spaces in the midfield. In the 19th minute, Trent Alexander-Arnold combined subtly with Valverde to create an opportunity for Vinicius, but the Brazilian striker's shot narrowly missed the post. Despite having less possession, Benfica still knew how to threaten Courtois' goal with sharp counter-attacks, most notably Fredrik Aursnes' long-range shot in the 24th minute.

The biggest highlight of the first half was goalkeeper Trubin. In the 44th minute, Mbappe tested Trubin again but without success. Shortly after, in injury time (45+1), Arda Guler unleashed a dangerous curling shot that seemed destined to open the scoring, but the superb reflexes of the Benfica "spider-man" denied the young Turkish talent a certain goal.

Superstar moments and dramatic events at Da Luz

In the second half, the individual class of Real Madrid finally made the difference. In the 50th minute, following a powerful run by Mbappe through the center, the ball was passed to Vinicius Junior on the left wing. The number 7 star executed his signature cut inside before curling a perfect shot into the top corner of the net, completely beating goalkeeper Trubin despite his full-stretch dive.

However, the visitors' joy was quickly overshadowed by off-field tensions. After the goal, Vinicius received a yellow card for reacting to the home fans. The drama reached its peak in the 53rd minute when a scuffle broke out after Gianluca Prestianni whispered something to Vinicius. The Brazilian striker was visibly angry, and the match was temporarily halted for about 10 minutes. It was only after reassurance from coach Alvaro Arbeloa that Vinicius agreed to continue playing.

Towards the end of the match, Jose Mourinho tried to turn the tide by bringing on Sudakov and Richard Rios in an attempt to create a breakthrough. However, the Portuguese strategist's efforts were ineffective, and he even received a direct red card from the referee for excessive reaction in the technical area in the final minutes.

The 1-0 victory gives Real Madrid a significant advantage going into the second leg at the Bernabeu. This result accurately reflects the match's dynamics, as Real Madrid dominated possession despite facing an extremely disciplined defense.