Benfica humble Porto with 4-1 thrashing at the Luz

Benfica bounced back to top form by outplaying fierce northern rivals Porto, running out 4-1 winners in front of a huge crowd in Lisbon tonight.

Álvaro Carreras put the Eagles ahead but Porto hit back to equalise shortly before half time through Samu Aghehowa.

The second half was one-way traffic with Benfica all over a docile Porto side. An own goal by Nehuén Pérez sandwiching a brace by the ageless Ángel Di María was just reward for a dominant home team. Tom Kundert reports from the Estádio da Luz. 

Both teams were coming off disappointing results in midweek, but while Benfica had rotated their team in Munich against Bayern and were back at full strength tonight, Porto coach Vítor Bruno chose to select almost the same XI, the only change being Nico González replacing Danny Namaso, with Pepê again starting on the bench.

There was terrific atmosphere at kick-off with an incredible noise made by the fans, and flares and smoke bombs aplenty, even necessitating an interruption early on as the referee waited for the smoke to clear amid poor visibility. 

So many flares and smoke bombs released the referee temporarily halted the game due to poor visibility. It's still tricky to make out the pitch for all the smoke. pic.twitter.com/TE2WcsGD2R

— Tom Kundert (@PortuGoal1) November 10, 2024

The effervescent Álvaro Carreras was first to threaten, his firm shot blocked by Martim Fernandes. Porto hit back with Galeno attempting one of his typical curling shots from the left side of the box with his right foot, the ball fizzing just over the bar.

The first big chance of the game came in the 18th minute, good work by Pavlidis playing in Di María, but the Argentine could only direct his shot into the side-netting from a tight angle. Orkun Kökçü then saw a long-range effort well-saved by a diving Diogo Costa as Benfica continued to look the more likely to make the breakthrough.

Carreras strikes

And the pressure told in the 29th minute. Benfica were attacking in numbers and when Tomás Araújo found the ball at his feet near the Porto box the centre-back played an excellent cross-field pass to Carreras. The Spaniard still had plenty to do, but showed the confidence with which he is playing by cutting inside and rifling in an angled shot with his weaker right foot.

Benfica continued to surge forward and were threatening to overrun Porto, Di María testing Costa and Pavlidis unlucky to see a fine effort bounce back into play off the post.

Interruption disrupts Benfica’s flow

The home team’s momentum was then halted by their own fans. The ultras behind the goal in the south stand launched a series of flaming red flares onto the pitch, requiring the referee to stop the game again. The rest of the Benfica fans were not impressed, chanting “palhaços” (clowns) at the perpetrators.

And the stoppage seemed to affect Benfica, who failed to carry on where they had left off. From a rare Porto attack the visitors were suddenly level, Samu Aghehowa scoring yet again, and certainly his easiest goal for the Dragons as Trubin and Otamendi inexplicably left a Francisco Moura cross to each other instead of making an easy interception with the ball rolling straight to the young Spanish striker for a tap-in.

HT Benfica 1-1 Porto

Benfica came fast out of the traps in the second half, Aursnes and Di María trying their luck from distance. A somewhat disoriented Porto picked up two yellow cards in quick succession (Fábio Vieira and Martim Fernandes) and the visitors found themselves behind again in the 54th minute as Benfica retook the lead with a beautifully constructed goal.

Slick Benfica

Aktürkoğlu won the ball near the halfway line and squared it to Aursnes, the Norwegian threading a sublime defence-splitting pass into the path of Di María, who had little trouble in beating Costa.

Things soon got worse for Porto as another fine move cut through the Porto defence like a knife through butter. Araújo’s accurate vertical pass sent Alexander Bah racing clear down the right flank, the defender delivering a low cross that was bundled into the net by a combination of Pavlidis and Pérez, the Argentine defender getting the last touch for an own goal.

Porto boss Vítor Bruno tried to change the course of events by bringing on João Mário, Danny Namaso and Pepê, but the Dragons continued to hit a brick wall in any attempt to hurt Benfica from an attacking point of view.

Historic thrashing

And the Benfica fans were in dreamland in the 81st minute as Di María made it 4-1 from the penalty spot to complete the thrashing after Alan Varela had fouled Nicolas Otamendi in the box. It was the first time Benfica had scored four goals against Porto in 60 years of Primeira Liga seasons. 

Benfica are giving Porto a thumping and the Luz is loving it pic.twitter.com/KNKnKj6uGW

— Tom Kundert (@PortuGoal1) November 10, 2024

Analysis: injection of confidence for Benfica; worrying signs for Porto

The result, and above all the manner of the victory, should prove a big confidence booster for Benfica after several indifferent performances in recent weeks.

The match tonight, in combination with the drab display against Bayern in midweek with a rotated team, indicates that Benfica’s squad may not be as deep as many think, the XI selected tonight clearly the strongest lineup.

When Benfica click they are difficult to stop, especially at the Estádio da Luz. As well as their at times overwhelming attacking potency, the non-stop pressing and energy exuded by the home players tonight augurs well for the consolidation of Bruno Lage’s gameplan. The superb Álvaro Carreras and Fredrik Aursnes are key to this, providing the platform for Di María to continue to defy the years. 

As for Porto, a worrying trend is developing for the Dragons this season whereby they are dispatching the lower quality teams efficiently but they struggle to impose their game when the opposition is better.

Porto have lost to Sporting, Benfica and Lazio, drew with Manchester United, and scraped a win against Braga in their toughest assignments of 2024/25.

Fábio Vieira has thus far not had the impact Porto fans would have been hoping for, looking a shadow of the player that Arsenal paid €30 million for a little over two years ago, while Vítor Bruno still seems unsure about his best XI, the regular omission of Pepê from the team difficult to fathom. 

Benfica 4-1 Porto highlights

Benfica: Anatoliy Trubin, Alexander Bah, Nicolás Otamendi, Tomás Araújo, Álvaro Carreras, Florentino Luís, Orkun Kökçü (Renato Sanches, 84’), Fredrik Aursnes (Zeki Amdouni, 87’), Ángel Di María (Benjamín Rollheiser, 87’), Vangelis Pavlidis (Arthur Cabral, 84’), Kerem Aktürkoğlu (Jan-Niklas Beste, 73’)

FC Porto: Diogo Costa, Martim Fernandes (João Mário, 62’), Tiago Djaló, Nehuén Pérez, Francisco Moura (Danny Namaso, 72’), Alan Varela, Fábio Vieira (Gonçalo Borges, 86’), Nico González, Stephen Eustáquio (Pepê, 62’), Samu Aghehowa, Wenderson Galeno

Goals:

[1-0] Álvaro Carreras, 29’

[1-1] Samu Aghehowa, 29’

[2-1] Ángel Di María, 54’

[3-1] Nehuén Pérez (o.g.), 61’

[4-1] Ángel Di María (pen), 81’