Benfica sweep past Toffees

Everton's hopes of making progress in the Europa League were dealt a bitter blow as they lost 2-0 to Benfica at Goodison Park.

Benfica completed the double in Group I after a rousing second half performance to cement their place at the top of the table.

In front of club legend Eusebio they sealed the points thanks to goals from Javier Saviola and Oscar Cardozo.

Everton have now suffered two defeats after two wins and their match against AEK Athens next month is now crucial.

Everton came close in the 28th minute when Cesar pushed a hanging cross out wide from Yakubu over the bar.

It took Benfica until the 41st minute to show the kind of danger they posed in the home game aainst Everton. Ramires got on the end of a cross from Fabio Coentrao and beat Tim Howard with his header, only to see it come back off the post.

Angel Di Maria should have put Benfica ahead in the 56th minute but his shot was high and wasteful when he was clear on goal.

However, the visitors made the all-important breakthrough in the 63rd minute with a swift counter-attack. Di Maria was involved in the build-up, resulting in a clinical low finish from close range by Saviola which gave Howard no chance.

And the Portuguese side made it 2-0 in the 75th minute when Cardozo rattled home a volley from an acute angle after Tony Hibbert failed to close him down.

Distin almost pulled a goal back in the 88th minute but his header was turned away superbly by Cesar as the night ended in disappointment and with Everton's hopes of reaching the last 32 hanging in the balance.