Beto (in) - Geovanni (out) (Benfica)
Benfica's impressive front-three is broken up.

Kromkamp (Villarreal) is penalised for a foul on Simão (Benfica).

Roger García (Villarreal) takes the corner.
The corner is easily cleared but no Benfica player offers an outlet up field, and the pressure remains.

Forlán (Villarreal) misses the target.

Arzo (Villarreal) is penalised for a foul on Nélson (Benfica).

Karyaka (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Santi Cazorla (Villarreal).
Fouls are exchanged as both teams appear anxious not to give a deciding goal away.

Luisão (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Forlán (Villarreal).

Roger García (in) - Tacchinardi (out) (Villarreal)
The veteran Italian midfield player is withdrawn, having lost his way in the last ten minutes.

Luisão (Benfica) misses the target.

Simão (Benfica) takes the corner.

Viera (Villarreal) makes a save.
More sloppy play by the home side, who have switched off since their goal. Arzo is robbed in a dangerous position - although in the centre circle, his side are caught up field - and Simão breaks. For the first time in the second half, the three-man attack spreads and stretches the home defence. Nuno Gomes is picked out wonderfully, but his effort fails to cap the move - an attempted lob is easily claimed.

Nuno Gomes (Benfica) has an effort on goal.

Simão (Benfica) fouls.

Santi Cazorla (Villarreal) takes the corner.

Figueroa (in) - José Marí (out) (Villarreal)
The largely ineffective striker is replaced by Lucho Figueroa - who has already opened his Champions League account, against Everton FC in the qualifying rounds.

Gonzalo Rodríguez (Villarreal) is penalised for a foul on Nuno Gomes (Benfica).

Manuel Fernandes (Benfica) scores!
Still looking vunerable, Villarreal fail to clear again. A sloppy challenge only makes the ball jump up to Manuel Fernandes, who controls on his chest and volleys first time, catching Viera slightly off his line with a dipping effort from 35 metres. Fantastic response by the visitors.

Nuno Gomes (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Viera (Villarreal).
So often vunerable soon after scoring, Villarreal fail to adequately clear, the ball juggling around the penalty area, and eventually being forced into the net by Simão, but play is halted - the referee having spotted an infingment inside the area.

Petit (Benfica) takes the corner.
Immediate attack from the restart earns a corner.

Riquelme (Villarreal) scores from the penalty spot.
After his telling pass in the lead up to the foul, Riquelme calmly sends Rui Nereu the wrong way, placing the ball neatly into the left-corner.

Sorín (Villarreal) was fouled in the penalty area by Ricardo Rocha (Benfica)
A second fantastic pass of the match from Riquelme, flighting the ball into the rushing Sorín's path, who controls the ball aggressively on his chest enough to pass Ricardo Rocha, but with the Argentine defender bearing down on goal, he is upended for a penalty.

Santi Cazorla (Villarreal) takes the corner.

Rui Nereu (Benfica) makes a save.

Forlán (Villarreal) has an effort on goal.
Forlán, again the player making moves happen for Villarreal, teases Anderson on the right-edge of the area, twisting one way then the next, inside and out, finally backheeling his way past the bamboozled defender and shooting from an improbable angle - an act for which he can be excused given his efforts - forcing a block from Rui Nereu.

Simão (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Kromkamp (Villarreal).

Karyaka (Benfica) misses the target.

José Marí (Villarreal) is penalised for a foul on Ricardo Rocha (Benfica).

Karyaka (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Riquelme (Villarreal).
The play-maker is begining to dictate things now, and is proving a handful - he is brought down in a dangerous area left of the penalty area.

Karyaka (in) - Karagounis (out) (Benfica)
It is to be the Greek player's last act of the match.

Tacchinardi (Villarreal) is penalised for a foul on Karagounis (Benfica).
Tacchinardi and Karagounis face-off in midfield, the most experienced players in each team, having over 100 Champions League appearances between them, in otherwise inexperienced line-ups.

Rui Nereu (Benfica) makes a save.

Riquelme (Villarreal) has an effort on goal.

Riquelme (Villarreal) takes the corner.

Rui Nereu (Benfica) makes a save.
A fantastic reverse pass by Riquelme, his first worthy play, plays Santi Cazorla in on goal, but his snatched effort allows the substitute goalkeeper to make a superb tip over low at the striker's feet.

Santi Cazorla (Villarreal) has an effort on goal.

Forlán (Villarreal) has a shot blocked.

Anderson (Benfica) misses the target.

Petit (Benfica) takes the corner.

José Marí (Villarreal) is flagged for offside.
The Spanish striker is caught out for the first time.

Karagounis (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Riquelme (Villarreal).

Forlán (Villarreal) misses the target.
Straight back into attack from the resultant foul, the ball nodded into the path of the striker, but he shoots wide.

Simão (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Santi Cazorla (Villarreal).

Luisão (Benfica) misses the target.
Harmless effort by the defender.

Petit (Benfica) takes the corner.

José Marí (Villarreal) misses the target.

Kromkamp (Villarreal) misses the target.
The crowd are on their feet again after being subdued through half-time. A concerted period of pressure ends when Kromkamp miscues a difficult volley, but the signs are encouraging.

Tacchinardi (Villarreal) is penalised for a foul on Karagounis (Benfica).

Nuno Gomes (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Arzo (Villarreal).

Rui Nereu (Benfica) makes a save.

Sorín (Villarreal) has an effort on goal.
The break seems to have revitalised Villarreal. A cross more accurate than any pas they produced in the entire first half finds Sorín at the backpost, but his toe-poked effort is smothered at close range by the goalkeeper.

Tacchinardi (Villarreal) is penalised for a foul on Petit (Benfica).

José Marí (Villarreal) misses the target.
But it is the home side who have come out attacking, José Mari allowed space inside the penalty area, his shot floating just past the top left corner of the goal frame.

Karagounis (Benfica) misses the target.

Josico (in) - Arruabarrena (out) (Villarreal)
The captain is withdrawn and gives the armband to his replacement, in what should be a change in formation in the second half.

The second half begins.

The referee blows for half-time.

Manuel Fernandes (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Sorín (Villarreal).

Riquelme (Villarreal) delivers the free-kick wide.
At the end of a first half that Villarreal will want to forget, Riquelme cannot even centre the free-kick with enough accuracy as to force any player into action, the ball disappearing into the disappointed Villarreal supporters behind the goal.

Nélson (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Forlán (Villarreal).
A clumsy sliding challenge as the striker threatened to break clear near the left corner flag leads to a promising deadball situation.

José Marí (Villarreal) misses the target.
Fortunate break of the ball for the home side gives José Mari a chance to shoot from range, but he strikes well wide.

Nuno Gomes (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Gonzalo Rodríguez (Villarreal).

Geovanni (Benfica) takes the corner.
Wasteful corner, in the one area that has blotted Benfica's first half copy book.

Nélson (Benfica) has a shot blocked.
Second effort in as many minutes by the defender, this time the home side learning their lessons and preventing a clear strike on goal.

Sorín (Villarreal) is penalised for a foul on Karagounis (Benfica).

Forlán (Villarreal) misses the target.

Viera (Villarreal) makes a save.
In turn Benfica quickly claim back possession and mount their own attack, but with notably more urgency. Nélson wastes no time in committing the Villarreal defence with a snap shot from distance, that is on target but claimed by Viera.

Manuel Fernandes (Benfica) has an effort on goal.

Sorín (Villarreal) is penalised for a foul on Nélson (Benfica).
The move progresses on the right before it is halted by the Argentinian midfield player.

Gonzalo Rodríguez (Villarreal) is penalised for a foul on Nuno Gomes (Benfica).
A heavy tackle from behind gives the visitors a free-kick in a central position.

Karagounis (Benfica) has a shot blocked.

Petit (Benfica) takes the corner.

Viera (Villarreal) makes a save.
Benfica threaten again, as the game now settles into an end-to-end flow. The three-man attack combine well for the second time, fanning out to stretch the home defence, Nuno Gomes feeding Geovanni on the right. The Brazilian breaks through one weak challenge and shoots strongly but straight, forcing Viera to palm over.

Geovanni (Benfica) has an effort on goal.

Simão (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Riquelme (Villarreal).

Manuel Fernandes (Benfica) takes the corner.

Rui Nereu (in) - Quim (out) (Benfica)
The Portuguese goalkeeper is withdrawn following his earlier injury, and replaced by Rui Nereu, making his first appearance this season.

José Marí (Villarreal) misses the target.
The game has come to life in the last few moments, the home side creating their own chance as José Mari goes close with a powerful left-foot strike that flashes past the left upright.

Santi Cazorla (Villarreal) has a shot blocked.

Nuno Gomes (Benfica) is flagged for offside.
Again the referee waves on play, keen to keep the football flowing, this time as Riquelme is bundled from the ball. Benfica take advantage, streaming forward in numbers. Simão whips in a dangerous cross that has Nuno Gomes nearly touching into the net, the striker sliding but scooping the ball over the bar, before the linesman flags for offside.

Karagounis (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Sorín (Villarreal).

Viera (Villarreal) makes a save.
Play breaks from the corner to the edge of the penalty area, and bounces kindly for the Portuguese striker, who volleys accurately enough but his shot lacks the power to beat Quim.

Simão (Benfica) has an effort on goal.

Manuel Fernandes (Benfica) takes the corner.

Simão (Benfica) misses the target.

Sorín (Villarreal) misses the target.
A rare sight of goal for the home team, but Sorín is wasteful from inside the penalty area, screwing his shot wide.

Karagounis (Benfica) is penalised for a foul on Gonzalo Rodríguez (Villarreal).
High feet called by the referee.

Geovanni (Benfica) takes the corner.
The kick is only half-cleared and forces Viera to claim a dangerous, high ball from under his crossbar.

Tacchinardi (Villarreal) is penalised for a foul on Karagounis (Benfica).

Nélson (Benfica) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Viera (Villarreal).

Manuel Fernandes (Benfica) delivers the corner.
Nothing comes of the kick.

Viera (Villarreal) makes a save.
Geovanni is involved for the first time, as Benfica's front three stretch the home defence for the first time. The Brazilian forward gallops down the right into space and manages to produce a lunging cross, that almost makes its way to Luisão, denied only by a last-ditch tackle on the penalty spot.

Luisão (Benfica) has an effort on goal.

Manuel Fernandes (Benfica) delivers the corner.

Petit (Benfica) misses the target.
A tough challenge on captain Simão goes unpunished by the German referee, who waves play on only for Petit to waste the given space by blasting the ball well over.

Viera (Villarreal) makes a save.
Simão demonstrates the first attacking intent for Benfica, beating Tacchinardi for pace before shooting low straight at Viera, who claims the ball at the second attempt.

Simão (Benfica) has an effort on goal.

Forlán (Villarreal) misses the target.
Villarreal try to halt this developing pattern as Forlán peels wide of his central position and centres the ball, but he fails to pick out strike partner José Mari.

Kromkamp (Villarreal) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Simão (Benfica).

Ricardo Rocha (Benfica) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Kromkamp (Villarreal).

Petit (Benfica) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Sorín (Villarreal).

The match is under way.