A fan’s eye view of Everton’s 5-0 defeat to Benfica

With Everton already short of options ahead of last night’s game against high flying Benfica at the Estadio Da Luz , the news announced shortly before kick off that Leighton Baines had withdrawn from the game after picking up an injury in training and would be replaced by debutant Seamus Coleman dealt another blow to optimistic Evertonians hopeful of good result in Lisbon.

David Moyes would again have to call upon his players to demonstrate their famed ability to win against the odds, stating prior to the game – “that is what we do at Everton, we fight for each other” – a statement fully justified by the Blues battling win against BATE Borisov in the previous group game of the Europa League.

Without the ineligible John Heitinger and Lucas Neill, the injured Phil Jagielka, Joseph Yobo, Phil Neville, Mikel Arteta, Stephen Pienaar, Victor Anichebe and Leon Osman, Everton lined up in a 4-4-2 formation with Tim Howard in goal, a back line of Dan Gosling, Tony Hibbert, Sylvain Distin and Seamus Coleman. The midfield was made up of Jack Rodwell and Marouane Fellaini in the middle with captain Tim Cahill and Dinyar Bilyaletdinov providing the width. Brazillian Jo partnered Yakubu up front. An inexperienced substitutes bench was occupied by Carlo Nash, Louis Saha, Shane Duffy, Keiran Agard, Jose Baxter, James Wallace and Hope Akpan.

Benfica got the game underway with Everton attacking the 7000 + Evertonians in the blue end of the impressive Stadium of Light and 2 minutes in it was the Eagles who had the first real opportunity of the match, good defensive work from Dan Gosling resulted in a corner which Pablo Aimar whipped into the box only for defender Luisao to head just wide.

Everton appeared to settle shortly after and were working the ball well when in possession with some neat and tidy passing between defence and midfield, Seamus Coleman began to grow into the game and he did well to clear a dangerous Oscar Carsdozo cross from the left in the 10th minute, less than 2 minutes later Everton found themselves in a good position after a well worked move across midfield only for Jo to horribly over hit his pass intended for Tim Cahill.

Benfica began to take control of the game and some patient build up play saw Angel Di Maria break down Everton down Everton’s right hand side, having got the better of young Dan Gosling ,his deep cross caught out left back Seamus Coleman and Argentine international Javier Saviola hit a downward volley which bounced over a helpless Tim Howard.

1-0 Benfica

Everton almost hit back immediately through Jo but his tame shot was hit straight at keeper Julio Cesar, the blues enjoyed some good spells of possession following the goal but failed to turn the screw, in the 23rd minute they were handed a good chance to put Cesar under pressure in the Benfica goal when Jo was fouled approximately 30 yards out, however a poor ball in from Bilyaletdinov was easily cleared by David Luiz.

The Blues found themselves being outmanoeuvred in  midfield with Angel Di Maria tormenting Dan Gosling down the left, another sweet cross from him was cleared by Sylvain Distin with Cardozo lurking and they came close again from the resulting corner when Luisao again found himself in space in the penalty area, but his shot was blocked.

Tim Cahill was disappointed with himself after heading over from Bilyaletdinov’s 30th minute corner in what was arguably Everton’s best chance of the first half. Again the blues enjoyed some decent spells of possession but rarely threatened and were restricted to a couple of long range efforts from Bilyaletdinov.

Yakubu and Jo were struggling to have an impact on the game due to a lack of support from midfield whereas Benfica looked like creating something everytime they got the ball, the lively Brazillian Ramires went close with a long range shot, Saviola showed why he’s played for some of the biggest clubs in the world with some exquisite skill to create space for himself in midfield, his deflected cross was easily claimed by Tim Howard.

Half time approached with Everton under the cosh as Distin cleared a Di Maria cut back into the penalty area and Seamus Coleman did just enough to prevent Saviola from heading in another cross, this time from Oscar Cordozo. The ref blew his whistle to end an entertaining first half which had seen some outstanding attacking football from Benfica, however Everton had played their part with some neat and tidy, patient play and under the circumstances could be optimistic for the second half.

2nd Half

Everton kicked off and started the second half brightly with intent, passing the ball accurately and at pace on the sodden pitch when one minute into the second half a short pass from the quietly effective Pablo Aimar found Angel Di Maria who promptly skipped past Maroane Fellaini and played a precise cross in to Cardozo who finished smartly.

This was exactly what Everton didn’t need and clearly put paid to any plans David Moyes had for turning the tie around.

2-0 Benfica

Within a minute of the restart a neat ball played inside Dan Gosling by Javier Saviola carved the blues open again with Di Maria again picking up the ball and crossing for Cardozo to claim his second of the game after 47 minutes with an easy header, Everton’s youthful fullbacks had again been ruthlessly exposed with three goals coming from three crosses.

3-0 Benfica

50 minutes in and Benfica were rampant, makeshift right back Dan Gosling was again beaten by Di Maria, Tim Howard could only palm his cross over the bar. The corner was quickly taken by Pablo Aimar who found the head of an unmarked Luisao, his downward header bounced over Tony Hibbert into the top right hand corner of Tim Howard’s goal.

4-0 Benfica

Everton’s defence were shell shocked and the rest of the teams morale had been brutally worn down in a crazy 6 minute spell in which Benfica had scored three goals and effectively killed off the game, but there was no let up for the blues as Man of the Match Angel Di Maria hit a long range effort which smacked the crossbar.

The depleted blues were now resorting to hopeful long balls up field now with Fellaini and Cahill hopelessly ineffective in Everton’s four man midfield, they consistently surrendered possession when in good positions and to compound a miserable night in Lisbon Dinyar Bilyaletdinov had to be replaced in the 60th minute after pulling up injured.

On 70 minutes David Moyes introduced Jose Baxter for an exhausted looking Yakubu, Benfica’s Pablo Aimar was replaced by another attacking midfielder in Carlos Martins.

By this point there was very little to report from an Everton point of view, Saha was rightly booked for a lunge on Ramires in the 75th minute and the blues’ best moment of the game came from him shortly after when he swung his favoured left foot at a clever Jo cutback on the edge of the 6 yard box, only to miss kick the ball which bounced up off the surface, he swivelled and volleyed the ball with his right foot and the ball clipped the right side of the post with the keeper beaten to go out for a goal kick.

As the clock ran down Everton pushed forward in search of a consolation goal and where caught by a classic sucker punch, David Luiz picked up the ball in his own area and played a great ball in behind Tony Hibbert, Di Maria latched on to the pass and flicked the ball beyond the on-rushing Tim Howard for Javier Saviola to nip in and score his second of the game and Benfica’s 5th.

5-0 Benfica

The last 10 minutes of the contest was merely exhibition stuff from Benfica’s South American contingent as they flicked and showboated their way round Everton’s absent midfield, the blues last opportunity of the game came in the second minute of time added on when Saha was fouled 40 yards from Benfica’s goal, Jose Baxter played a decent looking ball into the box only for the ref to blow his whistle for a foul committed by Marouane Fellaini, which just about summed up his and Everton’s night.

Benfica now top Group I in the Europa League on goal difference from Everton with 6 points from 3 games with the teams set to play each other again in two weeks time at Goodison Park.

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By David Carroll