Benfica 5-0 Everton
A disconsolate David Moyes watched his side concede five goals against Benfica
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By Matt Fortune. |  |
Thursday, 22, Oct 2009 11:45
By Sam Ross.
Everton fell to their heaviest European away defeat to Benfica at the Estadio da Luz as they conceded four times in a poor second half display.
Doubles from Javier Saviola and Oscar Cordoza as well as a headed goal from Luisao saw off a poor Everton side that only produced one shot on target.
Benfica began the first half the strongest and looked as if they were going to score within the opening minutes when Luisao leapt the highest from an in swinging corner but could only guide his header wide.
The breakthrough came in the 14th minute when Saviola escaped his marker, Seamus Coleman, and volleyed home Angel di Maria's deep cross.
Moments later Everton had the chance to draw level but Jo could only fire the ball straight at Julio Cesar in the Benfica goal to record their first and only shot on target.
The second half saw Everton get off to the worst possible start, conceding three goals inside five minutes.
The first came two minutes after the restart via a miss placed pass from Marouane Fellani which Saviola latched onto and dribbled his way through three defenders before crossing the ball for Cardoza to tap in.
Seconds later it was Saviola who again claimed an assist as he drove down the left and chipped the ball for Cardoza to head down passed Tim Howard at the far post.
The tie seemed done and dusted but Benfica were eager to stretch their lead and on 52 minutes they did just that through skipper Luisao who headed home from inside the six-yard box.
Benfica were in complete control and should have added to Everton's misery further when great opportunities fell to midfielder Di Maria. First his left-footed curled shot struck the crossbar before he fired his second effort straight at Howard.
Howard was called into action soon after to halt Cardoza from recording a 17-minute hat-trick when the Paraguayan forward had his close range effort well saved by the American stopper.
Everton looked to try and mix things around up front in the hope of grabbing a consolation goal and replaced Diniyar Bilyaletdinov with Louis Saha, who on 77 minutes was denied by the woodwork.
After miscontrolling a pass from partnering forward Jo, the ball flicked up and Saha improvised well to athletically perform a bicycle kick which rebounded back off the left-hand upright.
With seven minutes of normal time left Saviola added to the rout after the impressive Di Maria clipped the ball over the on-rushing Howard for the Spanish forward to tap in.
The humiliating defeat for Everton leaves them level with Benfica at the top of the group on six points.