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艾马轮休,天使帽子
Electric Di Maria rips apart Leixoes
Leixoes 0-4 Benfica
Four days separate two 4-0 hammerings from Jorge Jesus’ exhilarating Benfica team, with a common thread linking the two outstanding performances. Angel Di Maria. On this form the unplayable Argentine is surely destined to fulfil many people’s predictions of becoming a global superstar.
Causing havoc every time he touched the ball, the jinking runs, high-speed dribbling and accurate crossing were just some of the by-products on Di Maria’s way to banging in a memorable hat-trick.
With such an enthralling individual display it is almost excusable to forget that Benfica again produced a polished team game, with January capture Airton making an impressive debut in place of the suspended Javi Garcia, David Luiz and Luisao unshakeable in the heart of defence, and Carlos Martins again showing he is on top of his game when brought on as a second-half substitute.
Braga pressure
The visitors started the match pressured by Braga’s win earlier in the afternoon which temporarily installed Domingos Paciencia’s team back into first place. At a difficult stadium, where both Braga and FC Porto dropped points, it was not expected to be an easy night for the Eagles, especially as driving rain in this most wretched of Portuguese winters was again in evidence for much of the match.
But Benfica imposed themselves right from the kick-off, playing virtually the whole of the first half in the opposition half. David Luiz had already hit the post, and a Di Maria goal had been incorrectly ruled out for offside when Eder Luis’ long-range shot nestled into the corner of the net thanks to a helpful deflection off Nuno Silva.
In the second half Benfica simply suffocated Leixoes with incessant attacking. The ubiquitous Di Maria was at the heart of everything. Images speak louder than words, so below feast your eyes on Di Maria’s hat-trick of strikes, the third of which is an absolute pearler:(视频地址)http://www.portugoal.net/index.php/more-liga-sagres-news/7982-electric-di-maria-rips-apart-leixoes
Benfica still have some difficult obstacles to get over in their final 9 matches of the Liga Sagres season, namely Braga, Sporting and FC Porto, but on this form the Lisbon giants are going to take some stopping if they are not to claim a first title since 2005.
by Tom Kundert
Benfica: Quim, Maxi Pereira, Luisao, David Luiz, Fabio Coentrao, Airton (Ruben Amorim, 68), Ramires, Di Maria, Eder Luis (Carlos Martins, 57), Saviola (Peixoto, 63), Cardozo
Yellow Cards: Di Maria, Fabio Coentrao
Goals: [0-1] Eder Luis, 26
[0-2] Di Maria, 58
[0-3] Di Maria, 75
[0-4] Di Maria, 86 |
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