Source: Liverpool_Echo
Benfica 5, Everton 0
DAVID Moyes saw his depleted Everton side spectacularly dismantled in the space of five second-half minutes at the Estadio da Luz tonight.[LNB]Any hopes of a recovery in this Europa League match - after Javier Saviola had opened the scoring - vanished as Oscar Cardozo scored twice and Luisao added to the gains to put Benfica on the road to an emphatic victory.[LNB]Saviola added a fifth goal - and despite the absence of 11 players, Everton boss Moyes must have been left bewildered at the way the Toffees caved in.[LNB]In the process, Everton suffered their first defeat in Group I and their first in eight games in all competitions.[LNB]Moyes was forced to field two youngsters at full-back, with Seamus Coleman making his debut on the left and Dan Gosling on the right.[LNB]Everton were always chasing the game, and Luisao should have put Benfica ahead in the fifth minute when he headed wide following a corner from Pablo Aimar.[LNB]The home side made the breakthrough in the 14th minute with a superb half-volley from Saviola after a crossfield pass from Angel Di Maria split the defence.Benfica were winning the majority of possession, but Di Maria saw his effort in front of goal turned away by an alert Sylvain Distin.[LNB]Everton pushed up field in the 31st minute, but Marouane Fellaini headed wide following a corner from Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.[LNB]Back came Benfica, and Nascimento Ramires headed across the face of the goal - with Di Maria supplying the delivery.[LNB]Everton, though, were gradually beginning to threaten - and Bilyaletdinov thumped a shot wide in the 34th minute.[LNB]Then the Russian cut inside but failed to test goalkeeper Julio Cesar, sending his effort over the bar.
