Moreirense-Benfica, 0-4 (report)

Pavlids times three! And a hat trick from Aursnes to finish it off, on a night where Moreirense took full advantage of their mistakes.

After a quality victory against Napoli, Benfica passed without a hitch in the traditionally difficult away game in Moreira de Cónegos and maintain their pursuit of Sporting and league leaders FC Porto. Pavlidis responded brilliantly to Luis Suárez’s brace the previous day, scoring a hat-trick and becoming the league’s top scorer again. Then, the Norwegian sealed the victory.

The victory ended up being impressive, but it was far from easy in the initial stages, on a ground where Benfica had only won in one of their last five visits. However, the Eagles took advantage against a punished Moreirense side that sought to play short passes and had two clear chances, through Gilberto Batista and André Ferreira, in the last two goals.

More than a spectacular victory, Benfica was pragmatic and efficient in a game negatively marked by Vasco Sousa’s injury. This was yet another potentially serious injury, ten months after he fractured his fibula while playing for FC Porto.

With Pavlidis as the only new addition to the starting eleven, against a Moreirense side with Maracás and Benny replacing Michel and the suspended Alan, Benfica started intensely, trying to impose themselves. But as time went on, they encountered a brave Moreirense side in duels, managing some attacks and making it difficult for Benfica to play offensively. Especially after Botelho da Costa, around the 10/15 minute mark, gave a couple of instructions to the midfielders.

It’s true that Gilberto Batista, while performing well in his duels with Pavlidis, also made two poor passes (which foreshadowed Benfica’s self-destruction) that Benfica could have exploited better. But Moreirense reacted quickly and with attitude. At times, they showed good ball control and tried to hurt Benfica, especially by attacking with Diogo Travassos on the right wing. One of these plays resulted in the first warning, but Trubin caught Gilberto Batista’s header after a corner.

Benfica only responded with danger in the 22nd minute, with Sudakov seeing Dinis Pinto deny a goal with his stomach. And, in a balanced first half, Benfica scored after a corner that resulted from a high ball recovery. Pavlidis met Aursnes’ cross and gave them a crucial lead. This was the first of four penalties for the Minho team. Five, in fact, if we count Vasco Sousa’s misfortune just before halftime.

For the second half, Barreiro and Stjepanovic, who had received yellow cards, did not return (Rodrigo Rêgo and Afonso Assis came on as substitutes), and the main focus of the final 45 minutes will be the goals, Benfica’s complete victory, and the tremendous errors of Vasco Botelho da Costa’s team, which rarely managed to find its rhythm again.

And in less than 20 minutes, Benfica completely resolved a game that wasn’t already won. Pavlidis scored his second goal after a high recovery by Enzo Barrenechea, with another assist from Pavlidis. Braga responded and briefly tried for a 2-1 lead, but Trubin shut them down.

Then… then came the offers made ten days before Christmas by Gilberto Batista and André Ferreira, taken advantage of, respectively, by Pavlidis and Aursnes (a beautiful chip shot) for Benfica to apply, for the first time since last season at the Dragão stadium, a thrashing away from the Luz stadium in the League and add an expressive and morale-boosting victory on a ground where they haven’t always been lucky recently.