Ukrainian footballer Georgiy Sudakov makes debut for famed Portuguese club Benfica
The story of Ukrainian football continues to unfold with another significant milestone — the debut of Ukrainian midfielder Georgiy Sudakov in the ranks of the renowned Portuguese club Benfica.
This momentous event took place during the fifth round of the Portuguese league, as Lisbon’s team hosted Santa Clara at their home ground.
The 23-year-old Ukrainian player made his entrance on the field in the 73rd minute, substituting a teammate, at a point when Benfica was already leading 1-0.
In the closing moments of the match, Santa Clara managed to level the score with a goal scored in stoppage time at 92 minutes, preventing a loss despite playing with one player less after a red card in the 38th minute.
Despite his active participation, Sudakov did not score during the game.
Notably, all goalkeeper duties for Benfica were handled by Ukrainian shot-stopper Anatoliy Trubin, who conceded his first goal of the season during this match after a clumsy mistake by defender Otamendi, who attempted a header to clear the ball but failed.
Recall that Georgiy Sudakov transferred to Benfica from Shakhtar Donetsk on a loan deal worth €6.75 million, with an obligation to buy at the end of the season for €20.25 million, plus potential bonuses of €5 million based on performance.
Shakhtar also will receive 25% of any future transfer fee for the player.
Sudakov wears jersey number 10, and he has once again become teammates with Trubin, who joined Benfica from Shakhtar in 2023.