In their first leg UEFA Champions League preliminary qualifying round, Juma Bah of Sierra Leone and OGC Nice fell 2-0 to Benfica.

With a sellout crowd, the game was held at Allianz Riviera, creating a vibrant environment. Despite a competitive first half and a few good opportunities, Nice battled to close.

Franjo Ivanovic scored first for Benfica in the 53rd minute; Florentino then added a long-range goal in the 88th minute.

Bah started his first UEFA Champions League qualifying first leg and played the full throttle of the contest as Benfica lived up to their reputation as a traditional giant of continental football by overcoming their hosts in a superb atmosphere at the Allianz Riviera on Wednesday night.

Cheering their team on from first minute to last, the sellout crowd—present for the first competitive match of the 2025/26 season—cheered their team.

Though not expected to triumph against the European superpower, Les Aiglons brought the enthusiasm of their fans onto the field during an extremely competitive first half.

From set pieces, Franck Haise’s team also threatened; Melvin Bard’s shot went off target at 10 minutes, and on the counterattack, Terem Moffi wasted a great opportunity at 16 minutes.

Nice has to make up a two-goal loss in the second leg next week at Estádio da Luz in Lisbon.