Non-League and Academy football writer

I was in attendance at Preston Park (Harefield United FC) on Sunday afternoon, to watch Eagles Land Benfica’s first ever game in the FA Vase (first qualifying round). Eagles Land Benfica, of the Combined Counties Football League Division One, would host Combined Counties Football League Premier Division South side, Virginia Water, in what proved to be a game which was impacted by a first half sending off of an Eagles Land Benfica player. However, the home side can be proud of how they responded to that sending off, against a good step 5 team, with Virginia Water winning the game 1-0.

Virgina Water would go on to create a good early goalscoring opportunity in this FA Vase tie. As Danyaal Iqbal’s lofted forward pass had found number 18 inside the home team’s penalty area. His effort on goal was well saved by Luis Silva, with Denis Bardoshi then doing really well to clear an effort by number 3, on the follow-up, off the goal-line. Soon after that chance for Virginia Water, and after the home side had taken the ball up the field, Eagles Land Benfica midfielder Wilgnner Ewerthon Barros Sousa would power a first time effort from the edge of the Virginia Water box, just wide of their goal.

Following on from a fine save by the outstretched Luis Silva, to turn behind number 18’s good curling effort on his goal from 25 yards out. Luis Silva would then make a good save from a headed effort on his goal, following a corner-kick soon afterwards. Then around five to ten minutes later, and Eagles Land Benfica player Bruno Messias Bernandes was shown a straight red card by the referee, after the linesman on the near side had spotted something which had occurred just off the ball. Yet, just before half-time Eagles Lane Benfica came very close to going in to the break 1-0 up. As the highly skilful Kaue Da Silva had rounded the Virginia Water goalkeeper down the left-hand side of his penalty area, before hitting an effort from an acute angle, against the goalkeeper’s right-hand post.

Despite being down to ten men on the pitch, I really admired the way in which the home side continued to work hard for each other on the pitch and compete and defend well against a higher level opposition. Despite really making it difficult for Virginia Water to get that first goal of the game, in the 67th minute the visitors would take the lead. A lofted forward pass would find number 14 just in behind the Eagles Land Benfica defence. After managing to get to the ball just ahead of Luis Silva inside his box, his lobbed effort on goal would be nodded home on the goal-line by number 3, who needed to make sure that the ball was going to cross the goal-line, 0-1.

After taking the lead, Virginia Water would try to secure their place in the next round of this season’s FA Vase, by looking to add another goal. They came desperately close to doing just that, but for a superb save from Luis Silva to parry number 18’s effort from inside the penalty area. And then on the follow-up and following a good block by a defender, Danyaal Iqbal would power an effort just over, from the edge of the box. Luis Silva went on to make two additional really good saves in the next couple of minutes of the tie, before then setting-up a decent chance for Thiago De Brito, after the goalkeeper had found him with a good kick up field. Thiago De Brito would then hit a good effort on the half-volley from the edge of the Virginia Water penalty area, a fraction wide of their goal.

Luis Silva continued to have a great game for the home team. And after doing well once again to make two really fine stops in quick succession, Eagles Land Benfica would create a very late chance in the tie. And but for an important block from a Virginia Water defender inside of the box, they could well have taken the game to penalties. Virginia Water are undoubtedly a good step 5 side, but I thought that Eagles Land Benfica were quite unlucky today. As with ten men for a lot of the game, they competed and defended really well I thought. And if they had 11 players for the whole game, then I think that this might have been a different game.

Virginia Water’s number 3 and match winner, was in my opinion their player of the match this afternoon. For my overall player of the match award, and despite competition from Virginia Water’s number 3 and Eagles Land Benfica defender Luã Cleyton Quental Teixera, my player of the match was Luis Silva. He had an excellent game in goal for the home side, making a number of top saves.

Starting line-ups/match-day squads:

Eagles Land Benfica: 

(1) Luis Silva

(2) Archie Heanen

(3) Emerson Pilonetto

(4) Denis Bardoshi

(5) Luã Cleyton Quental Teixera

(6) Bruno Messias Bernandes

(7) Kaue Da Silva 

(8) Wilgnner Ewerthon Barros Sousa

(9) Arash Abdollahi

(10) Thiago De Brito

(11) Jonny Adair 

Substitutes:

(12) Daanyaal Abdollahi

(14) Nitharshan Sellarthurai

(15) Philip Medeiros 

(16) Tiago Cristofolini

(17) Zubear Hassan 

Virginia Water (unfortunately I could only find a squad list for the away team):

Matthew Jones, James Darvill, James McLeod, Jack Mills (captain), Luke Appleton, Kai Boylan, Ellis-Jay Skeete, Jake Rangecroft, Turnell Sinclair, Danyaal Iqbal, Aston Nunn.

Substitutes: Alex Harden, Stuart Mortimer, Jack Simmons, Samuel Bello-Balogun, Billy Murphy.