Not many players get the chance to make their debut in a UEFA
Champions League match, but that was the case for SL Benfica goalkeeper
Rui Nereu in Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Villarreal CF.
The
19-year-old, who normally plays with Benfica's reserves, was named among the substitutes for the first time during Saturday's visit to FC Porto, following a knee injury to first-choice goalkeeper José Moreira. But when Quim, Moreira's replacement, limped off after 29 minutes at El Madrigal, the Odivelas teenager was thrust to the fore.
Last time Benfica were forced into a goalkeeping change during a European match was in a 1992/93 UEFA Cup quarter-final tie against Juventus which they lost 3-0. There was no such misfortune this time as Nereu produced a brilliant debut display. Within minutes he had prevented Juan Pablo Sorín from scoring, before making an instinctive stop to deny Santiago Cazorla's powerful strike.
The Benfica No 43 then blocked a vicious shot from Diego Forlán, but could do nothing to stop Juan Román Riquelme's 72nd minute penalty, after Ricardo Rocha had fouled Sorín. Nereu's excellent work, however, was not for nothing as Benfica drew level five minutes later through Manuel Fernandes.
Nereu's heroics received the plaudits of many of his peer's including Quim, the player he had replaced, who was well positioned to assess his stand-in's display. "I have to congratulate Nereu, because he played very well," Quim said. "I told him to play like he was in a youth match and he was very focused during the time he was on the pitch. He coped very well with the responsibility of the match."
** Sounds like a 'Gem in the Rough' **
