Benfica defeated AVS 3-0 Saturday at Estádio da Luz, marking a significant return to form for Danish defender Alexander Bah after a year and 13 days sidelined by a serious knee injury. Bah opened the scoring in the 11th minute, converting a rebound following a save by AVS goalkeeper Adriel on a shot from João Neves.
The victory, played in front of a home crowd, saw Benfica debut a new uniform honoring street football culture. Enzo Barrenechea extended Benfica’s lead in the 30th minute with a header from a corner kick assisted by Richard Ríos. Rafa Silva then added a third goal just before halftime, scoring with a powerful shot after receiving a pass from Sidny Lopes Cabral.
Despite controlling the match, Benfica only added to their lead in the first half. Manager José Mourinho began substituting players in the second half, seemingly with an eye toward Wednesday’s Champions League match against Real Madrid. Sidny Lopes Cabral hit the post during the second half, but the score remained 3-0.
Alexander Bah expressed his elation at returning to the pitch, stating, “I am very happy, it was a long road and I feel very quality in training. I missed this a lot, it’s emotional for me, there is a lot of weight left behind.” He too acknowledged the work ahead, noting he is “not yet at his best” but that “each day and each training session is good for me.”
The win keeps Benfica three points behind Sporting in the Liga Portugal standings and four points behind FC Porto, who play Rio Ave on Sunday. Real Madrid, Benfica’s upcoming Champions League opponent, lost 2-1 to Osasuna on Saturday, with Vinícius Júnior scoring their lone goal.