I felt that PSV were the better team in the first leg and were very unfortunate not to take something more from the game. They fell out of the blocks and Benfica scored with pretty much their first meaningful attack and then again just before half time when PSV were getting on top . After the break it was one way traffic and when Cody Gakpo pulled a goal back, it seemed only a matter of time before a second or even third goal followed. Despite dominating, it never came, but Gakpo continued to cause Benfica all kinds of problems and it is all too easy to see more of the same this evening. Benfica have struggled in this competition away from the Stadium of Light, with just one win in seven starts and 9 defeats in 14 games. PSV have already scored 8 goals in two CL home starts beating Galatasaray 5-1 and FC Midtjylland 3-0 and were 13-3-0 in their 16 starts prior to the trip to Lisbon, which included a 4-0 Super Cup win over Ajax and an average of 2.75 goals pg this season .

 

The second half performance in the first leg hands them the psychological advantage going into this evening and they will also have a noisy home crowd at the Philips Stadion demanding a result and we have already seen multiple times this season how teams have responded to that after playing in empty arenas for so long. If what I saw last week was a true reflection, PSV are the stronger, more inventive team and Benfica are going to have to up their game considerably from anything we have seen from them on the road for some time in the CL to progress. Home win.

 

 

 

 

 

Good luck !