First-half blitz sees Benfica cruise to 6-goal victory over AVS to keep the pressure on Sporting

It was a memorable night at the Estádio da Luz with six goals from six different scorers ensuring Benfica secured three points to maintain the pressure on rivals Sporting. A 6-0 victory on Sunday evening places the Eagles atop the Primeira Liga standings with a three-point lead over Sporting, at least temporarily.

Benfica produced arguably their best half of the campaign with a stunning blitz that Aves had no answer for. The goals came from all corners of the pitch with Tomás Araújo, Vangelis Pavlidis, Zeki Amdouni, Kerem Aktürkoglu, Andrea Belotti, Nicolás Otamendi all getting their names on the scoresheet. 

For AVS, it was a night to forget. The visitors never really challenged their opponents, failing to match the home side's energy, intensity and skill on the night. With just three points separating Aves from the relegation zone, they would have been hoping to take something from the fixture. Unfortunately, a lackluster performance from AVS means they are now at risk of dropping back down to the second division.

Sahir Bhojwani reports from the Estádio da Luz.

Tomás Araújo breaks the deadlock to set Estádio da Luz alight 

Benfica were on a mission with Bruno Lage’s side coming out with an attacking mindset from the first minute onward. The Eagles went forward with intent, pushing for that first goal and Aves looked shell-shocked after a flurry of attacks that saw Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoascrambling to keep his side in the match. 

Benfica had few good chances in the first 10 minutes with one Akturkoglu putting the ball in the back of the net within the first five minutes, only for it to be called back for offside. Soon after, it was an unlikely scorer that broke the deadlock with Tomás Araújo pouncing on a rebound following a smart save from Ochoa to give Benfica a dream start. 

Dominant first-half performance from the Eagles

Aves never really recovered after the first goal. In the 23rd minute, a well-worked move down the right side saw the ball fall to Dahl. The Swedish winger accurately placed a pinpoint pass to Pavlidis who steered the ball in from inside the 6-yard box with his left foot to make it 2-0. 

Aves supporters hoping for a response from their side would have been disappointed on the night. Instead, it was Benfica that continued their onslaught with Zeki Amdouni the next player to get his name on the scoresheet.  

Aves tried to work their way back into the game with some fluid passing and long-range shots, but at this stage, it seemed like a mere formality. 

To make matters worse for the visitors, Benfica recorded a fourth goal in the 4o the minute when Kerem Aktürkoglu dived onto a cross from Pavlidis just before the half.  

Well organised Benfica close out Aves in second half

Benfica approached the second half with a different philosophy, with Lage setting his players out to close the game out with minimal controversy and drama. The home side looked organised and disciplined as they countered all of Aves' attacks with ease. Benfica continued to move forward but knowing that they were in control of this fixture, refrained from pushing too many bodies forward.  

The ball remained in Aves’ half for the majority of the second half. Benfica’s midfield controlled the tempo and ensured that there was no chance of a late fightback.  

AVS looked better as the match progressed with their best opportunity falling to Zé Luís in the 64th minute. The Cape Verde striker received the ball in the box and forced a great save from Anatoliy Trubin, who pushed the ball out for a corner, That, however, was the extent of Aves' push. 

Belotti and Otamendi seal a lopsided victory for the Reds 

With the game winding down, Lage brought on Andreas Schjelderup and Andrea Belotti midway through the second half. The substitutes were lively and energetic from the moment they came on the pitch. Belotti, in particular, was effective, causing problems for Aves’ back four and cleverly finding gaps in the penalty box. In the 71st minute, he was rewarded for his hard work with his fourth goal of the campaign. A counterattack from the left wing saw the Italian latch on to a well-timed pass from Kerem, leading to a simple tap-in to make it 5-0.

Benfica, however, were not finished at five. In the 82nd minute, Argentinian World Cup winner Nicolás Otamendi found himself open at the back post to tuck away a header and increase Benfica’s lead to six goals. 

Benfica 6-0 AVS highlights 

Lineups:

Benfica: Anatoliy Trubin, Nicolás Otamendi, Tomás Araújo (Leandro Barreiro, 77’), António Silva, Samuel Dahl, Álvaro Carreras (Andrea Belotti, 67), Orkun Kökçü, Fredrik Aursnes, Vangelis Pavlidis (Arthur Cabral, 77), Kerem Aktürkoglu (Gianluca Prestianni, 78), Zeki Amdouni (Andreas Schjelderup, 67)

AVS: Guillermo Ochoa, Fernando Fonseca (Tomás Tavares, 45), Jorge Teixeira, Baptiste Roux (Lucas Piazón, 45), Cristian Devenish, Kiki Afonso (Eric Veiga, 45), Gustavo Assunção (Rodrigo Ribeiro, 86), Gustavo Mendonça, Babatunde Akinsola (Vasco Lopes, 73), Zé Luís, John Mercado

Goals:

[1-0] Tomás Araújo, 8' 

[2-0] Vangelis Pavlidis, 23’

[3-0] Zeki Amdouni, 26’

[4-0] Kerem Aktürkoglu, 40’

[5-0] Andrea Belotti, 71’

[6-0] Nicolás Otamendi, 82’