Benfica
2 – 0
Boavista
After their success on the continental stage, Benfica turn their attention back to the Primeira Liga this weekend as they welcome relegation-threatened Boavista for gameweek 23.
The Reds head into this clash buoyed by their progression into the UEFA Champions League round of 16 after emerging 4-3 winners over French side Monaco across a two-legged playoff tie.
© Imago
Securing a 1-0 victory in France proved pivotal for Benfica, who battled to avoid defeat in a thrilling six-goal return leg at Estadio da Luz, with Orkun Kokcu’s 84th-minute strike ensuring a 3-3 draw that sealed their passage.
While that result extended their run to three round-of-16 appearances in four seasons, it also halted a five-match winning streak that had reinforced their title charge.
That streak included three Primeira Liga victories, overcoming Estrela Amadora and Moreirense before grinding out a 1-0 win at Santa Clara, a result that left Bruno Lage’s side second in the standings with 52 points, just two behind leaders Sporting Lisbon, who dropped points against Arouca.
Looking to close the gap further, Benfica will step onto the pitch with three points written all over their chests, given their formidable record at Da Luz, where they have won 10 of their 11 top-flight encounters this season, amassing 30 points — the highest home tally in the division.
The Reds’ dominance at the ground is built on excellence at both ends, boasting a league-high 34 goals while conceding just eight, the second-best defensive record.
Further adding to Benfica’s confidence is their formidable home dominance in this fixture, having triumphed in each of the last seven top-flight meetings with this weekend’s visitors.
© Imago
Meanwhile, Lito Vidigal’s tenure at Boavista got off to a disappointing start, with his side falling to a 1-0 home defeat against Estrela in his first match in charge.
Vidigal took the reins from Cristiano Bacci, who departed with the team rooted to the bottom of the table after collecting just 12 points, and their latest setback did nothing to lift them from that position.
That result also extended Os Axadrezados’ winless run to 12 matches, with their last triumph dating as far back as early November, when they edged Gil Vicente 2-1 away from home.
In fact, both of Boavista’s victories this season have come on the road, with nine points from 11 matches making them the 11th-best travellers in the division.
Currently sitting eight points adrift of safety, the Chequered Ones must find a way to halt their slide, starting this weekend, as they stare down the possibility of ending their decade-long stay in the top flight.
© Imago
Kokcu was forced off with an injury three minutes after his crucial equaliser against Monaco, making him a doubt for this fixture, while veteran attacker Angel Di Maria could miss a fourth consecutive match due to a muscle issue.
Meanwhile, long-term absentees Alexander Bah (ACL), Fredrik Aursnes (knee), Manu Silva (ACL) and Renato Sanches (muscle) remain sidelined as they continue their recovery.
In addition, Leandro Barreiro is suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the campaign in the win over Santa Clara.
Boavista will also be without Sebastian Perez, who exceeded the yellow card threshold after receiving a late caution against Estrela.
The visitors’ injury struggles persist, with Joao Goncalves and 20-year-old Morales Pires still out with knee injuries, while Marco Ribeiro remains a doubt, having missed recent matches due to fitness concerns.
Additionally, 20-year-old left-back Julio Dabo is set to miss a fifth straight match since limping off against Casa Pia on January 20.
Benfica possible starting lineup:
Trubin; Santos, Otamendi, Silva, Carreras; Florentino Luís, Amdouni, Bruma, Dahl; Pavlidis, Belotti
Boavista possible starting lineup:
Cesar; Gomes, Abascal, Fogning; Miguel; Vikotic, Reisinho, Van Ginkel, Joel Silva; Bozenik, Agra
Benfica are clear favourites for this encounter, with form on their side, a dominant home record this season and a history of success in this fixture at Da Luz, while Boavista’s struggles only strengthen expectations of a win for the hosts.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | |
| 1 | Sporting Lisbon | 22 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 59 | 18 | 41 | 52 |
| 2 | Benfica | 22 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 50 | 18 | 32 | 50 |
| 3 | Braga | 23 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 39 | 20 | 19 | 47 |
| 4 | Porto | 22 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 46 | 18 | 28 | 46 |
| 5 | Santa ClaraSanta Clara | 22 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 25 | 23 | 2 | 38 |
| 6 | Casa Pia | 23 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 30 | 28 | 2 | 36 |
| 7 | Vitoria de GuimaraesGuimaraes | 22 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 30 | 25 | 5 | 31 |
| 8 | Estoril PraiaEstoril | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 28 | 34 | -6 | 31 |
| 9 | FamalicaoFamalicao | 22 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 28 |
| 10 | MoreirenseMoreirense | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 28 | 33 | -5 | 26 |
| 11 | Rio AveRio Ave | 22 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 24 | 36 | -12 | 26 |
| 12 | AroucaArouca | 22 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 21 | 34 | -13 | 24 |
| 13 | Nacional | 23 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 21 | 31 | -10 | 23 |
| 14 | Gil Vicente | 23 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 23 | 35 | -12 | 22 |
| 15 | Estrela Amadora | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 19 | 34 | -15 | 20 |
| 16 | AVS | 22 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 32 | -15 | 19 |
| 17 | SC FarenseFarense | 22 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 31 | -18 | 15 |
| 18 | BoavistaBoavista | 22 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 14 | 37 | -23 | 12 |
| > Primeira Liga Full Table | |||||||||
Lito Vidigal Reflects on Heavy Defeat: “We Must Highlight the Players’ Attitude”
Boavista left the Estádio da Luz with another defeat, falling 3-0 to Benfica in the 23rd round of the Primeira Liga. This loss marks the club’s eighth consecutive defeat, leaving them at the bottom of the table with just 12 points, three behind Farense.
Lito Vidigal addressed the media after the match, providing analysis on his team’s performance. He acknowledged the difficulty of facing a strong opponent like Benfica and emphasized the positive attitude of his players. “It was a tough game against a very strong adversary. We must highlight the attitude of my players, who have been working together for a short time. We are building a team. The placement of some players has been important, as they show positive dynamics. Even those who have played less need to solidify their positions as we create a foundation going forward,” Vidigal stated.
Vidigal reflected on the match’s key moments, noting, “We played well and created some opportunities, but, of course, Benfica had many more chances than us. We conceded a goal at a crucial time when we needed to hold on longer. Perhaps it was a moment that stemmed from a foul in our favor, but that’s beside the point. We went into halftime trailing 1-0, and we still had the chance to level the match. I’m not saying Benfica didn’t have their chances, yet Diaby could have equalized. After going down to 10 men, it became much more difficult. Even at even strength, they can dominate, and when we were a man down, it was even easier for Benfica. We held on for a considerable time, and the youngsters also made a good impression. We created two or three finishing opportunities; while they were not clear-cut chances, they were still significant. Most importantly, I want to congratulate the players. We are building a team, and I feel that things are improving, getting stronger. I see a bright future for Boavista.
When asked what was missing, Vidigal explained, “When we won the ball, we struggled with the first pass and failed to direct our receiving into an attacking position. During transitions, we conducted the ball effectively; this is what we’ve been working on for the past ten days. Previously, the first pass was always backwards. Now, we are receiving the ball facing forward to seek depth. This is work that needs to continue. However, we are dealing with players who had not been competing and lacked specific football training for months. Some had been inactive for seven months. They have the quality, but it takes time to reach the levels we desire. This team still has much room for physical growth. Thankfully, we did not suffer any injuries to these players, which was a concern. In that sense, it was a positive outcome, and now we have a whole week to prepare for the next game. I believe we have the potential to achieve our goals, and I think Boavista will remain in Liga Portugal. I go to bed, sleep, and wake up with that objective in mind.
In addition to the head coach, goalkeeper Tomás Vaclík also spoke in the flash interview after being named ‘man of the match.’
On his performance, Vaclík said, “Thank you. We knew it was going to be a tough game. Benfica is a top team and in excellent shape. They deserved to win. We must keep going; we have two home games ahead, and we need to secure points.”
Regarding his debut for Boavista, he remarked, “I’m happy to be back playing. It was a tough eight months without a club and without playing. I’m very grateful for the opportunity that Boavista has given me, and for my debut to be at Benfica’s stadium. It was good, but we must continue.”
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| # | Team | GP | P |
|---|---|---|---|
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23 | 53 | |
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22 | 52 | |
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23 | 47 | |
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Dazzling attacking display sees Benfica move top of Primiera Liga, pressure mounts on Boavista amid relegation battle | OneFootball
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22 February 2025
Benfica 3-0 Boavista
A comprehensive 3-0 victory for SL Benfica on Saturday evening saw the Lisbon club move above their inter-city rivals Sporting CP for the first time since December. A new-look Boavista FC lineup was little match for a vibrant and energetic Benfica side that hardly put a foot wrong at the Estadio da Luz.
Boavista, desperately in need of points, could not afford to set up cautiously and manager Lito Vidigal came out with an attacking lineup for Saturday’s fixture, going with three at the back. The decision seemed to backfire, with Benfica punishing the Porto club with some effortless midfield passing and dangerous wing play. In the end, the scoreline was somewhat kind to a Boavista side that played the majority of the match in their own half.
Andrea Belotti, Evangelos Pavlídis and Orkun Kökçü were all able to get their names on the scoresheet, but this was a comprehensive performance from a Benfica side that seems to be hitting their stride at the perfect point of the season.
Sahir Bhojwani reports from the Estádio da Luz.
Boavista managed to frustrate Benfica early on with neither side creating any clear chances over the first 20 mins. The Eagles found another gear at the midway point of the first half, with Zeki Amdouni coming close from a corner in the 23rd minute. Minutes later, Bruma broke free down the left wing and was able to provide a perfectly timed low pass to Belotti, who broke the deadlock with a tap in from close range.
Benfica continued to pepper the goal, recording 15 shots (7 on target) in the first half, but Boavista managed to go into the half trailing by just one goal.
A major turning point came in the 51st minutes when a desperate lunge from Miguel Reisinho landed no where close to the ball, and saw him take down Kökçü. After a VAR review, the referee had no choice but the send off the Boavista players, leaving a a herculean task for his teammates.
Pavlidis continued his fine form on Saturday. The Greek striker entered the game in the 68th minute. Within a couple of minutes had his name on the scoresheet, converting a low cross from fellow substitute Kerem Aktürkoğlu. His 17th goal of the campaign put Benfica in a commanding position going into the final stage of the game.
With the game winding down, Boavista’s tired legs struggled to keep up with Benfica’s movement in the final third. Samuel Dahl did well to run on to a perfectly timed pass into the box in the 76th minute, only to be dragged down in the Salvador Agra. Orkun Kökçü stepped up to covert the penalty, ensuring the 58,000 plus home fans would be leaving happy.
(+) The goalkeeper position has been a problem area for Boavista throughout out the season. With established stoppers João Gonçalves and Luís Pires both suffering injuries early in the season, 17-year-old Tomé Sousa was handed the role at one stage of the season. If not for Czech goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik, Saturday’s scoreline could have been extremely embarrassing for the Panthers. Vaclik allowed three goals (one was a penalty), but it is important to note that Benfica peppered the keep with shot after shots, finishing with 31 total shots (14 on target).
(+) Had it not been for Boavista goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik’s stunning display, Andrea Belotti would have had at least two or three goals in the first half. Over 67 minutes, the Italian forward put himself in dangerous positions, performing the role of poacher perfectly. Pavlidis will likely remain the first choice striker, but there were plenty of positive to take from Belotti’s performance.
(-) There was so much expected of Miguel Reisinho coming into the 2024-25 campaign. The young Portuguese midfielder seemed to lose his head, and will surely be regretting his mistimed challenge at a critical stage of the match. A straight red card will see him miss a vital clash against Santa Clara next week.
Lineups
Benfica: Samuel Soares, Leandro Santos, Nicolás Otamendi, Tomás Araújo, Samuel Dahl, Álvaro Carreras, Orkun Kökçü, Fredrik Aursnes, Andrea Belotti, Bruma, Zeki Amdouni
Boavista: Tomas Vaclik, Sidoine Fogning, Vitalii Lystsov, Rodrigo Abascal, Sebastián Pérez, Joel Silva, Miguel Reisinho, Marco van Ginkel, Salvador Agra, Moussa Koné, Róbert Bozenik
Goals:
[1-0] Andrea Belotti, 28’
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