Benfica’s devastating attack destroyed Feyenoord on Sunday and ensured the Eagles would win the Eusébio Cup after a 5-0 victory in a game in which João Neves remained on the bench.
Benfica’s fluid and objective football saw them take an easy win over the Dutch after just nine minutes, when young Argentine Prestianni opened the scoring with a curling shot after a good pass from Greek Pavlidis.
Feyenoord players accused the team of a coup, but the worst was yet to come. Pavlidis once again demonstrated his goalscoring talent (he had already scored seven goals in five matches), and it took him only a minute to score twice. For the first goal, he had an assist from João Mário, and for the second, it was Beste who helped him make it 3-0.
The atmosphere at the Estádio da Luz was one of celebration and euphoria as Schmidt’s team distributed the ball and created danger near the opponent’s goal. And with less than 20 minutes left on the clock, Beste made it 4-0 with a free kick from the edge of the box. The ball still bounced off a defender and deceived the goalkeeper.
But Benfica wanted more. In fact, the team was insatiable in its search for goals, and 18-year-old Argentine Prestianni even hit the post with force.
In the second half, Schmidt made changes and the truth is that there was a loss of intensity and the goal was not scored. The Dutch grew and Carreras was worth a shot on the goal line. Little by little, the new Benfica players gathered and brought Feyenoord back to the ropes. Marcos Leonardo, Carreras and David Neres continued to shake the Eagles’ game. However, it was Artur Cabral, one of the last players on the pitch, who sealed the final result with a header from a good cross by Thiago Gouveia. The Brazilian was again very reserved in his celebrations, a sign that he may leave the club.
The Eagles’ triumph is undeniable and allows fans to dream of a good campaign for the team in the new season.
BASIC MOMENTS
Pavlidis – With one assist and two goals in one minute, the Greek forward is a star and promises to be a serious asset in the league.
Prestiani – He fights to stay in the team as if he were fighting for his life. He scored the first goal and played in the second.
Best – He assisted Pavlidis at 3-0 and eventually scored a free kick despite a deflection. He shakes up the team, forcing Carreras to develop.