Benfica beat Avanca 38-20 on Tuesday evening in the Andebol 1. The hosts kept their unbeaten run at four games and moved closer to the top of the table. Avanca remain winless after four matches, though they have yet to taste defeat. The result reflects a comfortable evening for the home side.
And here's the thing — Benfica have been steady rather than spectacular. They drew with Sportinq and Porto earlier this season before edging Povoa and Aguas-Santas. Avanca, by contrast, have played out draws everywhere. They lost narrowly to Braga and Santu-Tirsu but held Porto to a draw despite being outscored 20-42 at home. To be fair, they have not lost a single game this campaign.
The match itself was straightforward. Benfica controlled the tempo from the opening whistle and never allowed Avanca to settle. The visitors could not find a rhythm against the home side's pressure and eventually capitulated. There were no dramatic swings — just a steady accumulation of goals by the hosts.
What the numbers show is clear enough. Benfica sit fourth with eight points from four games. Avanca are twelfth on four points, also unbeaten but without a victory. The gap between them is widening. Benfica have the deeper squad and the more experienced players, and they made it count tonight.
The result does not move Benfica into the top two, but it keeps them within striking distance of the leaders. Avanca's unbeaten record remains intact, but the lack of wins is becoming more noticeable. They will need to find a way to convert draws into victories if they want to climb out of the bottom half.
