Benfica leads at halftime in Famalicão: two quick goals. In the first half of the match in Famalicão, Benfica scored twice against the hosts. José Mourinho’s team confidently controls the game and leads 2-0. Famalicão has yet to create any dangerous chances.
In Famalicão, Benfica finished the first half with a confident 2–0 lead, clearly outclassing the home side. Early in the match, José Mourinho's team earned a penalty after a foul on Ivanović, which Schjelderup confidently converted, leaving goalkeeper Carevic with no chance. This early goal set the tone for the entire first half and allowed the visitors to take control of the game.
Midway through the half, Benfica doubled their lead: Ríos scored after an individual run from Schjelderup, who once again played a key role in the attack. After conceding the second goal, Famalicão came under even greater pressure, and Benfica was close to a third—defender Justin de Haas cleared the ball off the line at the last moment, denying Ivanović a brace.
The visitors' advantage and Famalicão's attempts
Despite Famalicão's efforts to change the course of the game in the last ten minutes of the half, the hosts failed to create any real threat to Trubin's goal. Famalicão's most dangerous moment came after a low cross from Sorriso, but Justin de Haas was unable to finish from close range. In added time, Ivanović again found himself at the center of attention, firing a dangerous shot at Carevic’s goal, but the ball went just wide.
Lineups and tournament intrigue
Famalicão's starting lineup featured Carevic, Rodrigo Pinheiro, Realpe, De Haas, Rafa Soares, De Amorim, Van de Looi, Gil Dias, Gustavo Sá, Sorriso, and Elisor. Benfica began the match with Trubin, Dedic, António Silva, Otamendi, Dahl, Ríos, Aursnes, Prestianni, Barreiro, Schjelderup, and Ivanovic. José Mourinho made four changes compared to the previous game, relying on fresh legs and increased attacking output from his players.
The match is taking place at the packed Estádio Municipal de Famalicão. Benfica is fighting for second place in the Liga Portugal Betclic and aims to prevent FC Porto from clinching the championship early. Famalicão, in turn, has fielded its best lineup and is counting on support from the fans to turn the game around in the second half.
Refereeing and context
The match is officiated by referee Gustavo Correia, appointed by the Portuguese Football Federation. The game in Famalicão has become one of the main events of the round, and the battle for positions at the top of the table remains intense. Against this backdrop, the situations in other clubs are also of interest: for example, Andorra recently went on a winning streak and approached the play-off zone, which was analyzed in detail in the article about the play-off race in the championship.
