Europa League 
/ Richard Aikman / 13 April 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Javier Saviola (left) was one of PSV's chief tormentors in the first leg
"It is not so much that Benfica are in good form - they suffered their second successive 2-1 defeat in the league at the weekend and have managed only one away win in Europe this season at struggling Stuttgart- as the fact that PSV ([2.44]) are quite poor."
Benfica are near certainties to make the semis after a fine 4-1 win in the first leg, PSV simply not looking like they have the firepower to find their way back into it. A draw looks the best bet for the second leg, says Richard Aikman.
Benfica ([3.0]) have a foot in the semi-finals after a convincing 4-1 first-leg success and with no real pressure on them to win again, or expectations of a miraculous 3-0 win (available at [32.0]) for PSV) the best we can hope for is an open contest in Eindhoven.
Fuelled by the frustration of losing the Portuguese title at home to Porto days earlier, the Eagles simply swept aside the defensively abject visitors, who were indebted to Andreas Isaksson and the woodwork for keeping the score down to a mere four in Lisbon. Benfica's Argentinian trio of Pablo Aimar, Eduardo Salvio (who scored either side of half-time) and Javier Saviola, in added time, got the goals that rendered Zakaria Labyad's effort - and the outcome of the tie - academic.
It is not so much that Benfica are in good form - they suffered their second successive 2-1 defeat in the league at the weekend and have managed only one away win in Europe this season at struggling Stuttgart- as the fact that PSV ([2.44]) are quite poor. Though unbeaten at home in Europe this campaign, Fred Rutten's side have drawn three of those five matches (two 0-0, the other 1-1). In the league they have drawn another three of their last six matches, a last-gasp goal by Ola Toivonen earning a 2-2 draw against Herenveen.
PSV are not firing on all cylinders just now and, as Benfica are effectively already through, an honourable draw has to be the way to go here, with the half-time/full time price of Benfica/Draw also worth considering at [16].
Recommended bet: Back the draw @ [3.6]; back HT/FT Benfica/Draw @ [16}
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