By George Burns Oct 22, 2009, 19:16 GMT
Hamburg - Benfica demolished English Premier League side Everton 5-0 in Europa League group action Thursday while Shakhtar Donetsk put four past hapless Toulouse.
Everton went into the game at the Estadio de Luz having won their opening two matches in Group I but were outclassed by the Portuguese giants on a night David Moyes' side will want to forget.
Javier Saviola put Benfica ahead on the quarter-hour mark but the real damage was done in seven hectic minutes at the start of the second half when Tim Howard was beaten three times as the Everton defence went absent without leave.
The impressive Angel Di Maria crossed for Oscar Cardozo to tap home on 47 minutes and a minute later sent in another pin-point cross for Cardozo to head home his second from close range.
An unmarked Luisao then made it 4-0 with a looping header before Angel Di Maria squared for Saviola to tap the ball into an empty net for Benfica's fifth.
The result sees Benfica draw level with Everton on six points, three clear of AEK Athens and BATE Borisov, who beat their Greek opponents 2-1 in the other group game.
Dusan Svento scored the only goal of the game as FC Salzburg beat Levski Sofia 1-0 to maintain their perfect start to Group G.
Salzburg sit top on nine points, three clear of Lazio, who managed a 2-1 victory over Villarreal despite playing for half the second half with only 10 men after Francelino Matuzalem was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
Mauro Zarate put the Italians in front after 20 minutes but Sebastian Eguren equalized for Villarreal shortly before the break. However, as it looked like the game would finish all-square, Tommaso Rocchi netted a last-minute winner for the Serie A side.
Sheriff Tiraspol got their first win in Group H with a surprise 2- 0 defeat of Dutch side Twente Enschede, Wilfried Balima netting the opener four minutes before the break and Franca ensuring the points with a second in added time.
Fenerbahce now lead the group on six points, two clear of Sheriff and Twente, after beating Steaua Bucharest 1-0 in Romania through Kazim Kazim.
Shakhtar Donetsk, winners of the last ever UEFA Cup final in 2009, showed why they are one of the favourites to win the inaugural Europa League with a 4-0 demolition of Toulouse in Group J.
Fernandinho gave the Ukrainians an early lead from the penalty spot with a Luiz Adriano brace divided by a goal from Tomas Huebschman completing the rout.
Donetsk now have a perfect nine points from three games, followed by Toulouse on five, level with Club Brugge after the Belgians beat Partizan Belgrade 2-0.
Sparta Prague revived hopes of qualifying from Group K with a 2-1 win against CFR Cluj while Jonathan Reis scored the winner and missed a penalty as PSV Eindhoven beat FC Copenhagen 1-0.
The win sees PSV stay top of the group with seven points, followed by Sparta on four, one ahead of Cluj and Copenhagen.
Werder Bremen remain unbeaten in Group L after a 2-2 draw with Austria Vienna. The Germans now have seven points but are only one ahead of Athletic Bilbao after the Basques beat Nacional Funchal 2-1.
Your Talkback on this Story