Burnley catch the eye in latest pre-season outing against a strong Benfica side

Academy product Owen Dodgson and centre-back Hjalmar Ekdal bagged the goals as Vincent Kompany’s men emerged 2-0 winners in Lisbon.

Despite naming a much-changed side, the Clarets delivered a mature and composed display against a side that will line up in the Champions League this coming season.

Both sides played their part in what was an entertaining affair, often played at a frantic pace with chances aplenty.

Andros Townsend, featuring as a trialist from the start, was among those to catch the eye while Ameen Al-Dakhil also earned plenty of praise for another commanding display.

Arijanet Muric, meanwhile, made a string of important saves including a crucial double save during the first-half.

Kompany changed things up from Saturday’s game against Genk, where eight of the 11 starters were given their first 90 minutes of pre-season.

In came the likes of Arijanet Muric, Dara O’Shea, Hjalmar Ekdal, Johann Gudmundsson, Jack Cork and Jay Rodriguez.

Wout Weghorst was also handed his first Burnley start since returning to the club, having been given 10 minutes off the bench in Belgium.

As for the hosts, they named Angel Di Maria in their starting line-up as they prepare for the defence of their Portuguese league title.

It was the Argentine who had the game’s first shot, firing comfortably over the bar from a few yards outside the box.

Burnley first threatened when Johann Gudmundsson curled in a teasing cross that just eluded the stretching Weghorst by a few yards.

Townsend came agonisingly close to registering the game’s opener with a fierce drive from just inside the post that whistled just past the post after a flowing move from left to right.

Midway through the first-half, Muric rescued Burnley with an impressive double save as Benfica failed to force the ball over the line with two close-range headers.

The hosts piled on some late pressure at the end of the first-half, with striker Goncalo Ramos blazing over before being denied by Muric from long range, but Burnley otherwise held firm to take the score goalless into the interval.

Casper Tengstedt, a half-time sub for Benfica, was presented with a good opening to open the scoring at the start of the second-half, but could only side foot his first-time effort comfortably over Muric’s bar.

Peter Musa then tried his luck from long range but failed to trouble Muric with an arrowed drive on his left foot.

With Benfica beginning to turn the screw once again, half-time change Charlie Taylor was required to make a vital block to deny David Neres after the Benfica man had been picked out in space inside the box.

The deadlock was finally broken 10 minutes into the second-half but it wasn’t the home side to take the lead, it was Burnley.

Owen Dodgson, the 20-year-old left-back playing at right-back, was the man to get it, beating the keeper at his near post with a low drive after the Clarets had won the ball back high up the pitch.

Burnley almost added a quickfire second when Rodriguez headed narrowly wide after backtracking to meet Townsend’s clever cross from the right.

The forward had a second headed opportunity 20 minutes from time, albeit this time he was denied by the keeper.

Eight minutes from time, the Clarets doubled their lead and put the game to bed with a goal from another unlikely source.

Hjalmar Ekdal had stayed forward after bringing the ball out from the back and he was on hand to tap home after the keeper had fumbled Townsend’s fierce drive from the edge of the box.

The visitors kept the ball confidently in the final stages to see out the remainder of the game without too much hassle - with attention now turning to another challenging affair on Friday night when Kompany’s men face Real Betis in the Spanish city of Huelva.

TEAMS

Benfica: Odysseas, Bah, Antonio, Morato, Jurasek, Aursnes, Kokcu, Mario, Di Maria, Rafa, Ramos

Burnley: Muric, O’Shea, Ekdal, Al-Dakhil (Taylor), Dodgson (Roberts), Gudmundsson, Cork, Townsend, Twine (Zaroury), Rodriguez (Davies), Weghorst (Amdouni)

Subs: Vigouroux, Franchi, McNally, Costelloe

Burnley’s pre-season so far

Fleetwood Town – 3-2 win

Burton Albion – 1-0 win

Port Vale – 3-1 win

Sheffield Wednesday – 3-0 win

KRC Genk – 2-0 defeat

Benfica - 2-0 win

Upcoming schedule

Real Betis – Friday, July 28

Mainz – Saturday, August 5