Europa League - Classy Benfica down Everton

Eurosport - Wed, 04 Nov 10:34:00 2009

Everton suffered a Europa League setback after falling to a 2-0 defeat to a classy Benfica, who now top Group I, at Goodison Park.

Everton's Australian midfielder Tim Cahill against Benfica - 0

The Portuguese were the better side from start to finish and took the lead in the second half through Javier Saviola.

Oscar Cardozo grabbed their second with 14 minutes remaining, volleying home from an offside position to ensure there was no way back for David Moyes's side.

Benfica confidently sprayed the ball around Goodison and nearly took the lead in the fourth minute when Saviola broke into the box and forced a good save from Tim Howard at his near post, before the keeper was again called into action to deny Angel Di Maria's acrobatic volley.

Everton's first glimpse of goal fell to Yakubu who turned superbly to beat Luisao before shooting wide from a tight angle, while Tim Cahill could not get enough on his header on 32 minutes to beat Benfica keeper Jacobi Julio Cesar.

The hosts were enjoying the better of the possession but all too often promising attacks broke down as the final ball went astray.

Everton had Howard to thank for keeping them on level terms at the break after the keeper pulled off another good stop to deny Saviola.

A header from Cardozo cannoned back of the post and fell invitingly in front of the Argentine whose stinging volley was parried away by the keeper at full stretch.

The visitors continued to push home their dominance after the break with Di Maria a constant thorn in Everton's side.

The striker wasted a glorious chance, shooting over after being played through on goal 10 minutes after the restart before drawing another good save from Howard who tipped his shot from outside the area over the bar.

Di Maria, who had earlier drawn the wrath of the home fans who thought he had made more of a challenge from Maraoune Fellaini than it merited, turned architect when Benfica finally broke the deadlock.

He confidently strode forward into the Everton box and fed Saviola, who got the better of the Everton defence with a lucky ricochet before firing past Howard into the bottom corner.

The second arrived soon after as Cardozo doubled the advantage volleying home from what appeared to be an offside position after an initial shot was blocked.

Sylvain Distin missed a great chance to drag Everton back into the game when his volley was pushed around the post by Julio Cesar late on and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov whistled a shot inches wide in stoppage time.

The defeat leaves Everton in second place in Group I, three points behind table-toppers Benfica.

Toby Davis / Eurosport

Comment 15 - 34 of 34

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  1. BARTPECK you are a racist @#$%, i dont rate english­ football much myself,but that type of moronic comment­ is unacceptable.
    and in case you or any body else is­ interested, i'm scottish born, live in england and­ want to live in spain, love italian football and­ spanish,and brazillian, like italian cars but drive a­ ford, like indian and italian food,and consider myself­ a liberal EUROPEAN.
    oh and i like english­ eccentricity and humour,and married one english woman­ and am living with another now who is my long term­ partner.

    From kenny f, on Sat 7 Nov 3:48AM

  2. this shows the REAL level of the majority of e.p.l..­ clubs. totally outclassed! 7 goals conceded by everton­ and not 1 in reply over two meetings. e.p.l. the best­ in the world? ha ha ha. the domeless wonders who think­ that are talking out an orifice in their nether­ regions!

    From kenny f, on Sat 7 Nov 2:32AM

  3. what's happenin' to da tems who r expected to­ grab 3 pts

    From GRACE, on Fri 6 Nov 4:52PM

  4. That shows that the premeier leauge is realy not­ competitive!!! only Man Utd , Chelsea, Arsenal &­ Liverpool are there , the rest are nothing there must­ be a leuge of four only. i reckon La liga much more­ competitive with Valenci , sevilla , villareal are all­ competing with Barca 7 Real madrird.

    From hasan a, on Fri 6 Nov 10:27AM

  5. sirstevejones10: Why is he so bitter about the English?­ Is he a Bayern Munich fan and still smarting from­ United's comeback in the Champion's league?

    From Rock and Roll Machine, on Fri 6 Nov 10:01AM

  6. bartpeck1977: Still peddling your vicious and­ ill-informed cack on here I see. And still afraid to­ say what country you are from. A true coward; hiding­ behind your little wall of ignorance and taking pot­ shots at anyone on here who at least have the guts to­ say where they are from. Go away little man and come­ back when you have grown some nuts.

    From Rock and Roll Machine, on Fri 6 Nov 9:10AM

  7. WHY IS CAHILL CAPTIAN, NOT ONCE DID I SEE HIM IN THIS­ GAME GET THE GOING LIKE PHIL DOES, GREAT PLAYER BUT NOT­ A CAPTAIN. YOBO WOULD BE MY CHOICE, A LEADER AT THE­ MOST.
    THE BEST PALYER TONIGHT WAS AGARD, CAME ON AND­ RAN AT THERE DEFENCE, BILY WAS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN IN­ THE 2ND AND THE YAK CAN'T RUN.
    THERE WAS NO­ CREATIVE PLAT WHAT SO EVA, PLEASE HURRY BACK PEANUTS­ AND MIKEL, EVEN JAGS CAN BOOST THIS SQAUD, ALSO A BIT­ OF VICTOR'S MUSSCLE WUDN'T OF GONE A MISS LAST­ NIGHT.

    From robbrownie2004, on Fri 6 Nov 9:10AM

  8. Clearly the best side won
    Everton played with one man­ up front, on his own, I am a big fan of Yakubu but he­ is clearly unfit.
    Fellaini when he first got into the­ Everton team (likewise Cahill) were contributing goals­ last season but the goals have dried up and that means­ these two give the team nothing.
    Everton need Saha fit­ and available as soon as possible.

    From rblackhurst2004, on Fri 6 Nov 9:10AM

  9. What's another name for bartpeck1977?
    To55er,
    (um­ bubble,
    Tvvat,
    Kn0b 3nd,
    5h1t stabb3r,
    Need i continue?

    From lee.cooper21, on Fri 6 Nov 7:31AM

  10. benfica su,pcl,olp,ks

    From pc master, on Fri 6 Nov 6:46AM

  11. I am a everton supporter. We played better than the­ first game but still didnt play well if you know what I­ mean. If you think Jack Rodwell is going to Manchester­ United well your wrong. Rodwell is a good player and is­ staying right where he is at Everton.

    From Nath, on Fri 6 Nov 6:45AM

  12. Viva o BENFICA.!!
    EXCELLENT VICTORY.!!

    From JAIME, on Fri 6 Nov 5:10AM

  13. Jack Rodwell,fret not son,you'll be wearing the­ great colours Of Man Utd alongside our beloved Wayne­ Rooney,sooner or later!!!..
    YOUR TALENT IS AT THE­ FUTURE OF 'OLD TRAFFORD'...
    it's a­ FORMALITY..YOU DESERVED BETTER..stamped..End Ov..

    From Kop Scouse Rats,are a Filthy Bin Dippers...., on Fri 6 Nov 4:26AM

  14. wayne, you're pathetic. this has nothing to do with­ LFC but you still find the need to insult LFC. look­ back at your own comment and you'll know why so­ many ppl hate MU. Man.City is the biggest club in­ Manchester

    From c, on Fri 6 Nov 12:48AM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    my respect too the best team in liverpool for the­ everton football club and fans for what they did for­ madeleine mcann and her family
    man utd supporter hope­ you finish above loserpool fc

    From WAYNE, on Fri 6 Nov 12:31AM

  16. benfica is the greatest time in the world .
    we gonna be­ champions , we beat anyone .
    benfica ever evan in uk­ looks like we are playing at home .
    our suporters are­ everywhere .
    viva o benfca

    From JoseR, on Fri 6 Nov 12:24AM

  17. We where a bunch of pansies! Looked we will where­ playing in Slippers and PGs!!!!!!

    From j.s.jones73, on Thu 5 Nov 11:34PM

  18. always going to happen, everton are a defensive side,­ playing against a load of weak but highly skilled­ portugese/brazilians/argentines i predicted an @#$%­ whooping twice when the grops were drawn. Ill say­ again, Hibbert is an awful player and Rodwell and­ Gosling dont have much to offer either.

    From glenn, on Thu 5 Nov 11:22PM

  19. Very Good!

    From Diogo, on Thu 5 Nov 10:49PM

  20. well done!

    From Diogo, on Thu 5 Nov 10:48PM
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