Total Benfica in the Liga NOS

Benfica has 59 goals scored in the Liga NOS and all the sectors of the team count. In the last encounter, the defenders used "only" participated in all the plays that led to the 4-0 result in the home match against Boavista.

This season, the Benfica defense has been assuming a relevant role in the opposing area, with an impressive scoring ability.

It was  Rúben Dias who paved the way to the last rout, in the home match against Boavista. At 16’, Jardel made a header at the far post and the young Portuguese player appeared in the goal area to open the scoring with a header, his second goal in the Championship and the third in the season (he had already scored in the match against  V. Setúbal in the League Cup).

Also in last Saturday’s encounter, Jardel had an important contribution for Benfica to reach the half-time with a two-goal lead (2-0). He assisted Rúben Dias in the first – in what was his third assist in this Liga NOS – and he scored the second (44’). The Brazilian, who wore the captain’s armband, assumed the leading role and scored after a cross taken on the left by  Cervi. Another header. In the last three matches, the Brazilian centre-back scored two goals and made two assists, in consecutive home matches (Rio Ave and Boavista).

In the third goal of the evening, at 77’, a cross from Grimaldo with Talocha making the clearance against the body of Henrique… and an own goal from the Boavista defender.

Near the end of the encounter, Raúl – he came in at 78' to replace Jonas – wrote his name in the scoring sheet, tapping in after a cross on the right from André Almeida, the player of Benfica’s squad with more minutes played (1964) and who made his fifth assist in the competition.

All told, the four goals scored on Saturday evening, against Boavista, involved the four defenders used by Rui Vitória (Jardel, Rúben Dias, André Almeida and Grimaldo). Apart from the last, each one of them already has two goals scored in the2 017/18 edition of Liga NOS.

Text: Filipa Fernandes Garcia

Pics: Archive / SL Benfica