Benfica 4 PSV 1

Last nights result for Benfica in the Europa League was proof that Portuguese football is steadily getting back to its best.

The dominance of the decades past are starting to be seen.  Clubs like SC Braga reaching the quarters, FC Porto totally outclassing their opponents from Moscow can only show why Portugal will have the opportunity to have 3 teams in the Champions League from 2012/13 season.

Benfica’s game against one of Europe’s top teams gave the team much to think about, after the loss in the domestic league against their fiercest rivals FC Porto, a small number started to question the approach to Europe.

But Benfica seem to have a different approach to Europe, a much more attacking flow to their game. They seem to be able to find spaces and penetrate through gaps that come hard to find domestically.

The display from the whole squad was astonishing, the full backs constantly pumping up the pitch, the central and attacking midfielders seemed to connect well most of the time.

The danger from Benfica started earlier on and carried on, and with four really special goals, it will be a feat only worth repeating in Dublin for the final.

On the night it was the Opener from Pablito Aimar which came from a much hard fought play by Fabio Coentrao and Nico Gaitan to cross and find Cardozo, only for the ball to come off him and into the oncoming Aimar to smash it with great power for 1-0.

Salvio went on to score 2 further goals, the first with the hard work from Coentrao on to Salvio to back heel it into the net.

His second was another great work, this time from the right, he goes inside, and with a bit of skill manages to get past in-between two players to hit the inside side net on the far post.

PSV managed to get an away goal which may or may not be important in the return leg in Holland, after a ball from the by line is crossed low, Roberto fails to get hold and Ladyad stick a foot at it to make it 3-1.

Saviola Made it 4-1 on the 93^rd minute, Maxi Pereira gets the ball on the right, passes inside to Saviola, who turns his man and hits the top left for the final kick of the game.

This result will be comfortable to take into the Philips Stadion on the 14^th of April.