Porto punish Benfica 5-0 at Estádio do Dragão
Porto produced another great performance at Estádio do Dragão where they thrashed Benfica 5-0 in a dominant performance.
Galeno opened the scoring in the 20th minute and extended the lead on the stroke of half-time, both goals originating from Francisco Conceição’s left foot.
The Eagles struggled after the break and found themselves 3-0 down in the 55th minute when Wendell’s deflected strike gave Anatoliy Trubin no chance.
Benfica’s problems were compounded six minutes later when Nicolás Otamendi received a second yellow card, Roger Schmidt and his side passengers for the rest of the contest.
Porto didn’t let their rivals off the hook, Pepê Aquino slamming the ball past Trubin in the 75th minute and Jorge Sánchez’s cross converted by Danny Namaso on the cusp of full-time.
The result sees Sporting Clube de Portugal stay one point clear of Benfica with a game in hand, Porto seven points further back with ten games to play.
Galeno at the double
Porto showed much more initiative in the opening stages, Francisco Conceição’s cross met by Pepê Aquino who headed straight at AnatolyTrubin. Galeno saw his shot blocked before Sérgio Conceição was booked for abuse in the 12th minute.
Casper Tengstedt got behind the Dragons’ defence and volleyed a difficult chance over the bar, but Benfica were second best as the action immediately resumed at the other end.
Galeno fired wide after some nice build up play from Nico González and João Mário, but the winger wouldn’t have to wait long for another chance.
It came from Francisco Conceição’s corner in the 20th minute, the ball deflected towards the back post where Galeno was left completely unmarked and scored to put Porto in front.
Conceição got past two players and tested Trubin, Pepê seeing his shot saved as Porto pressed for a second goal.
Benfica enjoyed a brief spell of pressure without testing Diogo Costa. Joao Mario was being forced to play to deep, Rafa struggling to get involved which left Ángel Di María desperately trying and make something happen.
Morato couldn’t contain Conceição, booked after cynically bringing down the winger who had bamboozled the Brazilian once again.
The Eagles got back on the front foot, Rafa’s shot tipped over the bar by Costa and Di María narrowly missing the top corner. That was about as good as it got for the Eagles who found themselves 2-0 down on the stroke of half-time.
Conceição’s deep cross was headed back into the danger area by Evanilson, Galeno on the spot to collect the ball, outmuscle António Silva and steer it past Trubin.
No second half comeback
Roger Schmidt made two changes at the break with Morato and Orkun Kokçu making way for Álvaro Carreras and Florentino Luís.
Nicolás Otamendi was booked after a robust challenge on Galeno but the winger wouldn’t be denied. In the 55th minute he got the ball into Wendell, the left-back’s shot taking a big deflection off Luís which wrong footed Trubin and rolled into the net.
Schmidt immediately introduced David Neres and Arthur Cabral for Di María and Tengstedt.
Otamendi sent off
The manager must have known his team were unlikely to get anything from the game, and he knew it for sure in the 61st minute when Otamendi took out Pepê on the touchline, Pinheiro showing no hesitation in showing the Argentinian a second yellow card.
González should have extended Porto’s lead when he headed João Mário’s cross wide, Schmidt then moving to damage control when he sacrificed Rafa for Tomás Araújo.
It didn’t make any difference with the Dragons making it 4-0 in the 75th minute. It came after some beautiful build up play down the right wing, resulting in González releasing Pepê who smashed the ball past Trubin from a tight angle.
Galeno couldn’t secure his hat-trick as Sérgio Conceição emptied his bench in the final ten minutes. Two substitutes combined late on to complete the rout, Danny Namaso heading home Jorge Sánchez’s cross to send the capacity crowd home happy.
Analysis
Porto’s strong home form continues after the impressive 1-0 Champions League victory against Arsenal. Sérgio Conceição’s decision to switch to a 4-2-3-1 and persist with a settled starting side is paying dividends.
His tactics nullified the Gunners and it was a similar story here, the manager clearly a happy man after humiliating their long time rivals: "The players are to be congratulated, they fully interpreted what was prepared at different moments of the game and understood what strengths Benfica had and what we could exploit in the opposing team."
Otávio was strong once again, Wendell and Galeno creating havoc down the left wing and Francisco Conceição keeping Benfica pinned back on the opposite flank.
Galeno is in the form of his career, completely indispensable and is going to be a huge loss on the pitch when he is eventually sold. Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa will surely be grateful for another significant influx of cash.
Benfica’s struggles against the top teams continues after a poor Champions League campaign, a shock exit to Estoril in the League Cup semi-finals and a 2-1 defeat to Sporting Clube de Portugal in the Portuguese Cup semi-final first leg.
Roger Schmidt can’t decide who to play up front and left-back remains a problem position. He had no excuses after the match: "I can't explain it at the moment. It wasn't our day at all. It wasn't good enough in physical, mental and tactical terms. I'm responsible for these three topics. Porto was a much better team from the beginning to the end."
Rui Costa spoke to journalists after the defeat, he also had no excuses: "A night that goes beyond the club's books, disastrous for everyone. I want to thank the support of the fans at the Dragão, who were tireless, neither they nor anyone else deserved a defeat of this magnitude."
Benfica have now lost by five or more goals for the fourth time in Porto, previously defeated 8-0 in 1933, 6-1 in 1939 and 5-0 in 2010 when André Villas-Boas was in charge of the Dragons.
The big winners on the night are the Lions however, now one point clear of Benfica and seven points clear of Porto with a game in hand.
By Matthew Marshall at Estádio do Dragão