Benfica did not just start quickly against Celtic, they kept finding the right moments at both ends of the match. Jhon Durán scored after only five minutes, and the pattern at the Luz is bigger than one early strike. Benfica have already scored five of their 27 home goals in the first 15 minutes, but six have come in the last 15.
Benfica's scoring windows at the Luz
The late surge is the sharper part of the story. Six of Benfica's 27 home goals, or 22.2 percent, have come in the final 15 minutes, compared with five goals and 18.5 percent in the opening quarter-hour. That is a slight edge, but it matters because it shows the team is dangerous when opponents are still settling and when they are trying to see games out.
The broader split at home is fairly even. Benfica have scored 14 goals in the first half and 13 in the second at the Luz, which fits the idea of a team that can hurt opponents early without relying on one phase alone. Vangelis Pavlidis has been part of that wider attacking rhythm, but the clearest point here is the timing of the goals rather than the scorer.
Marco Silva said after the victory that the early goal helps, but that this has been happening regularly. "It was a totally deserved victory, with an excellent start to the match and an early goal, which always helps. But it has been happening regularly. Even in some away matches," he told A Bola, in comments translated from Portuguese.
Benfica's home scoring rate also sits at 3.4 goals per match this season, which helps explain why the team can hurt opponents in different phases of the same game. The key detail is the split: five early home goals and six late ones at the Luz, with the final 15 minutes producing the bigger share.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
