Sunday, December 1, 2019

Benfica cruise to win past Maritimo

Benfica Blog
Benfica cruised to a 4-0 victory over Maritimo in the clubs first game on its new surface after a new pitch was installed since the clubs last home game on November 2. Benfica kicked off the game quickly as a Chiquinho attempt just two minutes in was stopped by Maritimo keeper Abedzadeh. Maritimo would get their opportunity just a minute later when Daizen Maeda's shot was easily stopped by Vlachodimos but it would not take Benfica long to open the scoring as league leading scorer Pizzi would tap a Vinicius pass through the legs of the Maritimo keeper to give Benfica the lead just seven minutes into the match. Pizzi would then return the favour after being sent in alone by Taarabt he would find a wide open Vinicius to double Benfica's lead at the 17 minute mark. Maritimo looked to cut the lead in half but a Douglas Grolli header off a set piece would be sent wide of the Benfica net. Benfica would add another at the 31 minute mark when a Pizzi hard cross would evade the keeper and end up on the foot of Vinicius, his shot would deflect in off Maritimo defender Grolli. The goal was originally awarded to Vinicius but has since been awarded as an own goal in what can be considered a strange decision by the league as the shot was clearly going towards goal when it was deflected. Benfica almost made it four but Vinicius was unable to direct a Pizzi pass on net. Vinicius would get one more chance to score before the end of the half but his goal would be called back due to an offside. Benfica would go into the half up 3-0.
The second half would see young right back Tomas Tavares enter the game for Andre Almeida after the teams captain looked to have re-aggravated his thigh injury but the Benfica attack continued and Chiquinho would get the first real chance of the half when sent in
by Taarabt but he would be denied by Maritimo's keeper but the ensuing rebound would be deflected towards Vinicius who made no mistake sending his low shot to the far right corner and Benfica were up 4-0. Benfica would then suffer its first setback of the game just five minutes after the Vinicius goal when Gabriel received his second yellow card of the match for a hard tackle on Maritimo's Marcelinho and sent to the showers. Benfica would then be forced to play the last 31 minutes of the match with ten men and it showed as the club seemed to take their foot off the gas. Benfica would get only one more scoring chance from then on which would see substitute Raul de Tomas send his shot way off target. Benfica hung on for another clean sheet their ninth in twelve league games. Benfica will next take on Covilha Tuesday in their group game of the Taca da Liga.

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