Benfica thrashed Moreirense 4-0 on Wednesday in a rescheduled matchday three fixture of Portugal's Primeira Liga, played in Moreira de Cónegos, to move within two points of leaders FC Porto.
Vangelis Pavlidis opened the scoring from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time, his sixth goal of the competition, before Andreas Schjelderup, Gianluca Prestianni and Fredrik Aursnes added further goals in the second half to complete the rout.
Penalty breaks the deadlock
Benfica dominated the early stages without finding a breakthrough. Rafa Silva was denied by goalkeeper André Ferreira inside the first minute after a pass from Tomás Araújo, while Moreirense hit back through Nile John, whose effort from outside the area, set up by Rodri Alonso on the counter-attack, went wide.
Benfica continued to press through Prestianni, Schjelderup and Clément Lenglet, forcing several corners and chances, but the deadlock held until the closing minutes of the first half. A VAR review following a challenge on Lenglet led to a penalty being awarded, and Pavlidis converted from 11 metres in the fourth minute of stoppage time to make it 1-0.
Second-half surge seals the rout
Benfica extended their lead early in the second half. In the 55th minute, Prestianni combined with Schjelderup, who finished from close range for 2-0. Four minutes later, Prestianni turned scorer himself, dancing through the Moreirense defence before slotting home the third.
Moreirense tried to respond through Manuel Mendonça, who fired well over the bar in the 64th minute, but Benfica settled the contest in the 72nd minute. Schjelderup's attempted pass to substitute Jhon Durán ran loose, allowing Aursnes to arrive at the edge of the six-yard box and finish into the net for 4-0.
Bookings and substitutions
Benfica made wholesale changes in the second half, sending on Durán for Pavlidis and Aursnes for Leandro Barreiro in the 66th minute, followed by Dodi Lukébakio for Prestianni in the 67th and Heorhii Sudakov for Rafa Silva in the 86th. Moreirense also rotated their attack, bringing on Tiago Andrade, Maranhão, Leandro Santos, Kiko Bondoso and Kevyn Monteiro in the second half.
The match was halted in the 80th minute after Manuel Mendonça needed treatment following a challenge from João Palhinha, who had already been booked in the 75th minute. Gilberto Batista and Parsemain were cautioned in first-half stoppage time, and Landerson picked up a yellow card early in the second half.
Mateja Stjepanovic was booked in the 87th minute.
Moments later, Stjepanovic went close with a header in the area, set up by Tiago Andrade from a cross following a free kick won by Leandro Santos, another former Benfica player.
Durán was also shown a yellow card in second-half stoppage time as the match wound down without further goals.
Standings after the win
The result gave Benfica a fourth consecutive victory in the 2026/27 Primeira Liga season, which they opened with a 2-2 draw at home to Académico de Viseu, played without spectators. Benfica now have 13 points, level with city rivals Sporting Clube de Portugal, with both clubs sitting two points behind leaders FC Porto.
Moreirense suffered their second straight defeat, having previously lost away to FC Porto at the Estádio do Dragão. The club from Moreira de Cónegos remain 13th in the table with four points.
