6 November 2006, by Marco Pereira

Free-scoring Benfica brush aside Beira-Mar

Benfica 3-0 Beira-Mar

Benfica gave a lesson in attacking football to visitors, Beira Mar, as second-half strikes from Katsouranis and Petit and a Ricardo own goal gave them a 3-0 win at the Estadio da Luz last night. Benfica are now joint top scorers in the Bwin Liga, along with champions Porto.

The win caps off a great week for the Eagles as they also collected their first win in the Champions League on Wednesday when they beat Celtic by the same scoreline.

Benfica’s first threatening opportunity came in the 13th minute when Simao intercepted a Camora clearance and had a shot on goal. Goalkeeper Ale made the save and cleared the ball with his feet while on the ground before Nelson could pinch in for the rebound.

Nuno Gomes then had an effort from outside the box midway through the first half that just cleared the crossbar. Beira-Mar responded one minute later when Jorge Leitao attempted a cheeky chip from a Quim clearance only to have Ricardo Rocha deny the visitors a goal.

Ale busy

Benfica came back as Simao did well to escape to markers and had an effort on goal from an acute angle that Ale smothered with difficulty. In the 35th minute Nuno Gomes did everything right as a back header from close in seemed destined for the net but Ale made an instinctive reaction save.

From the ensuing corner, Benfica pulled off a training ground routine as Simao delivered the ball outside the box where Miccoli was waiting for it and hit a firm first-time shot that cleared the bar. Miccoli was at it again in the 39th minute when he picked up an Ale clearance and just shot wide of the left post.

Beira Mar were then lucky not to have midfielder Torrao sent off for an ugly foul on Miguelito having been cautioned earlier. Just before the break Beira-Mar nearly caught Benfica by surprise as a swift counter-attack played in Tininho for a shot from outside the box with only Quim to beat, but he hit the ball well wide.

The second half started, as expected, with the Eagles attacking in droves. Their hard work paid off as they broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute when an unmarked Katsouranis headed in a Nelson cross from close range.

Three minutes later and Benfica were two up. Petit was fed the ball by Miccoli, and the Portugal midfielder took it inside the Beira-Mar box and hit a fine diagonal shot that tucked inside the far post.

Things went from bad to worse for Beira Mar as Buba collected his second yellow of the game in the 73rd minute when he kicked the ball out of play after the referee had blown his whistle. The defender went from hero to villain in a week after he registered a hatrick against Sporting in their last match.

It did not take long for Beira-Mar’s numerical inferiority to take effect as defender Ricardo put the ball into his own net when he tried to prevent a Luisao cross from reaching Miccoli.

A good win for Benfica which puts the defeat they suffered at Porto last week well and truly behind them.

Fernando Santos, Benfica coach:

“It was an excellent performance. In the first half we had 70% of possession, but we did not score due to the merit of Beira-Mar’s defence and their goalkeeper, who made four or five good saves. When the game is 0-0 there is always the risk of a counter attack, as you saw it in the final minute of the first half.”

“At the break I told my players that after the first goal, everything would be different and it would become easier for us. We got the second goal and the game ended there.”

Augusto Inacio, Beira-Mar coach:

“We knew that this would have been a difficult game. Benfica have good dynamics and pushed us back. I was hoping that my team would have attacked more. We managed to hold on to 0-0 until the break. Suddenly it was 1-0 then 2-0 and the sending-off of our player made it all more complicated.”

“Benfica won well and could have scored more goals. I hope for a good showing against Setubal in our next match. This Beira-Mar deserve more than the six points we have.”

Benfica:
Qium, Nelsom, Luisao, Ricardo Rocha, Miguelito, Katsouranis (Karyaka, 78), Petit (Karagounis, 59), Simao (Mantorras, 85), Nuno Assis, Nuno Gomes, Fabrizio Miccoli
Yellow Cards: Nuno Gomes (63)

Beira-Mar:
Ale, Ricardo, Marco, Buba, Tininho, Torrao (Emerson, 56), Camora (Wegno, 56), Ratinho (Jardel, 72), Andre, Rui Lima, Jorge Leitao
Yellow Cards: Torrao (17), Buba (34 & 73), Marco (58), Andre (71)
Red Cards: Buba (73)

Goals:
[1-0] Katsouranis, 52
[2-0] Petit, 55
[3-0] Ricardo, 76 (o.g.)