Benfica beats Aarhus 3-1 to take control of Europa League playoff round

Two minutes. That's all it took for Benfica to make clear that this tie was starting off as an uphill climb for Aarhus GF. Rafa Silva opened the scoring before the crowd at Estadio Da Luz had even settled into their seats, and that early strike set the tone for the rest of the night in Lisbon.

The final score, 3-1 in favor of the Portuguese side, leaves the Danes needing a comeback in the second leg if they want to stay alive in the fourth qualifying round of the Europa League. And it's no easy team to come back against: Benfica once again showed the kind of quick-strike ability that has served it so well in European competition.

After Rafa Silva's early goal, the home side didn't let up. Benfica took control of possession, dominated the spaces on the field, and by the half-hour mark had struck again: Leandro Barreiro made it 2-0, and for a moment it looked like the night might turn into a comfortable stroll.

Aarhus, though, didn't fold. In the 36th minute, Sebastian Jorgensen found the net to give the Danish side a bit of life and, for a few minutes, had the Da Luz crowd holding its breath. It turned out to be a brief mirage. Before halftime, the referee pointed to the penalty spot, and Pavlidis made no mistake from twelve yards to make it 3-1, the score at the break and, as it turned out, the final result.

The Colombian imprint in the second half

The second half didn't produce any more goals, but it did have its own Colombian chapter. Richard Rios, who started on the bench, came on in the 66th minute in place of Barreiro. Six minutes later it was Jhon Duran's turn, entering in the 72nd minute for Pavlidis, the man who had scored from the penalty spot.

Neither of them managed to add to the scoreline, but both got valuable minutes in a match that should help them build some rhythm for what's ahead. With that 3-1 lead in hand, Benfica heads to Denmark with a comfortable, though not decisive, advantage.

The second leg will be played on Thursday, August 27, at Aarhus, who will need more than just a strong start to flip the tie. Down two goals, the Danish side will have to come out chasing the game from the opening whistle, much like Benfica itself did in Lisbon.