Benfica thrashes FC Porto and is back in front of the semi-final

This Sunday, Benfica placed themselves one victory away from qualifying for the play-off final of the national roller hockey championship, beating FC Porto na Luz, by 7-2, in the third game of the semi-final .

After having won by 5-0 in the first game, at home, and lost by 5-2 in the trip to Dragão Caixa, Nuno Resende’s team is once again in the lead of the play-off semi-final, in a game in which Pablo Álvarez (6, 07 and 42), Gonçalo Pinto (12 and 41), Roberto Di Benedetto (17) and Lucas Ordoñez (45) scored for the eagles, and Gonçalo Alves (34) and Diogo Barata (35) scored the goals of the portistas.

At Luz, Benfica had a devastating first half, with four goals for the eagles, with no response from the dragons, who never managed to reach the goal defended by Pedro Henriques, even with danger.

After five minutes, Pablo Álvarez scored the first goal of the game, at a time when Benfica were outnumbered after Rafa was shown a blue card.

Two minutes later, the Spaniard returned to the celebrations with the timely rebound after a Di Benedetto shot. Only Benfica were up for the match, FC Porto seemed asleep and Gonçalo Pinto made it 3-0 after the 12th minute.

Ricardo Lozano asked for two time-outs, but FC Porto remained unrecognizable and in the 17th minute the score moved again, with Di Benedetto, after an individual move, taking advantage of Mena’s unhappiness to make it 4-0 with reached the break time.

The second half brought a more ‘surgical’ Benfica in the match, with FC Porto still unable to impose their game. However, a colossal mistake by Ordoñez, which earned him a blue card, allowed Gonçalo Alves to make it 4-1 with a direct free kick, and a minute later Diogo Barata reduced it to 4-2, in yet another distraction for the red team.

The game was relaunched for the final stretch, but Benfica started their engines again and two volley goals from Gonçalo Pinto and Pablo Álvarez, in a direct free-kick, put the winners of the regular phase back in the lead by four goals apart and practically sealed the victory.

In the final minutes, Lucas Ordoñez made up for the mistake made in the middle of the second half and was still in time to put his name on the list of scorers, setting the final score at 7-2 for the eagles.

The fourth game of the play-off semi-final is scheduled for Thursday, at 8 pm, with FC Porto hosting Benfica and needing to win to remain in the discussion for a place in the championship final.

Game sheet:

Match at the Fidelidade Pavilion at Estádio da Luz, in Lisbon

Benfica – FC Porto, 7-2

At half-time: 4-0

Labels:

1-0, Pablo Álvarez, 6 minutes; 2-0, Pablo Alvarez, 7; 3-0, Gonçalo Pinto, 12; 4-0, Pablo Alvarez, 17; 4-1, Gonçalo Alves, 34; 4-2, Diogo Barata, 35; 5-2, Goncalo Pinto, 41; 6-2, Pablo Alvarez, 42; 7-2, Lucas Ordonez, 45.

Under arbitration by Rui Torres and Miguel Guilherme, the teams lined up:

Benfica: Pedro Henriques, Roberto Benedetto, Pablo Álvarez, Lucas Ordóñez and Nil Roca. Diogo Rafael, Carlos Nicolia, Daniel Oliveira and Gonçalo Pinto also played

Coach: Nuno Resende

FC Porto: Xavi Malián, Carlo Di Benedetto, Xavi Barroso, Rafa and Gonçalo Alves. Tomás Mena, Reinaldo Garcia, Telmo Pinto and Diogo Barata also played.

Coach: Ricardo Lozano

Disciplinary action: Blue card for Rafa (05) and Lucas Ordoñez (34)

Attendance: About 1200 spectators