Arouca rue Benfica defeat: A frustrating night in Vila das Aves

It was one of those evenings where everything felt within reach, only for the final minutes to turn into a complete nightmare for Arouca. As the final whistle blew at the Estádio do Clube Desportivo das Aves, it was clear Benfica had turned it around to win, but the talk in the corridors was just as much about what might have been. Your correspondent was there to witness an Arouca side that, for the first time in a long while, genuinely looked capable of causing problems for the big club from Lisbon.

A first half to build on

Arouca came out with a game plan that was executed to perfection. They pressed correctly, shut down the spaces, and allowed almost nothing through the middle. It was a mature performance against a Benfica side that looked blunt in the opening stages. The first half was an intense battle in midfield, and while the home side didn't create a pile of clear-cut chances, it felt like they were in control. You could see the players bought into the match plan one hundred percent. That's precisely what made the ending so hard to take.

Diogo Monteiro: "We could have gone second or third"

For us Swedes, it was particularly pleasing to see young centre-back Diogo Monteiro show himself in such a good light. The former IFK Göteborg player, who now turns out for Arouca, was one of the absolute best players on the pitch for large stretches of the game. He read the play phenomenally, won his individual battles, and showed a composure few his age possess. After the match, I caught up with him for a quick word, and you couldn't miss the disappointment. "We've been really good against the big teams this year, it's a shame about these goals we're conceding in the final minutes," he said, his voice still carrying the frustration from the game.

That's exactly the feeling the whole Arouca camp shares right now. They had Benfica exactly where they wanted them. Monteiro and his colleagues at the back held firm, and going forward, they looked dangerous on the break. They played with their hearts on their sleeves and deserved at least a point. Diogo finished his short analysis by stating the obvious: "We definitely could have gone second or third in the table if we'd held on to these points." A bittersweet feeling of a potential scalp that slipped right through their fingers.

Late goals sink Arouca

It was a classic case of late goals. Benfica, who had struggled to break down Arouca's compact defence, only got their reward when the air went out of the home side. It was like watching a boxing match where one fighter has gone twelve rounds against a heavier opponent and finally gets caught by that wearying body blow in the last second. Arouca's plan was crystal clear, and they stuck to it for 85 minutes, but football can be ruthless.

Here are the three main reasons Arouca fell short despite a strong performance. This is the very essence of any serious Arouca vs Benfica review worth its salt:

• The inability to finish the job: "The barber shop was open early, but no one got a haircut," as someone from my coaching team put it afterwards. Arouca created enough half-chances to have sealed the match, but that final bit of sharpness was missing. They needed a second or third cutting edge to put Benfica away.
• Benfica's individual class: Even though the team as a whole was pale, individual quality often suffices in this league. Once Benfica got openings to work with, it was players of the highest calibre who stepped up and decided the game. That's that extra ten percent that separates the sides.
• Lapsed concentration in the final minutes: After holding out for nearly the entire match, the team dropped a bit too deep and invited pressure. Against a side like Benfica, that's absolute suicide. The two late goals were a direct consequence of the mental and physical exhaustion setting in.

So, how do you use this match as a guide for the future? For Arouca, it's about taking the good feeling from the first 80 minutes and learning to manage the last ten. This type of performance shows a group of players heading in the right direction, but they need to be sharper in both boxes. For the neutrals, and especially for those of us keeping a Swedish eye on Diogo Monteiro, it was a match that left you wanting more. Arouca are no side to be underestimated, and with a bit of luck, they could well be in the mix for a surprisingly high league position. But tonight, they left Vila das Aves with a distinct feeling of 'what if', while Benfica could head home with three utterly unglamorous, but oh-so-vital, points.