Football: Benfica staring at an early Champions League exit after Basel pasting

Benfica's Luisao and Ljubomir Fejsa (foreground) wear dejected looks as Basel's players celebrate a goal during the Champions League Group A match at St. Jakob-Park Stadium in Basel on Sept 27, 2017. PHOTO: AFP

Switzerland (REUTERS) - Dimitri Oberlin scored twice in Basel's 5-0 rout of 10-man Benfica on Wednesday as the Swiss champions reignited their Champions League hopes to move second in Group A.

Both teams lost their opening group games, but Basel took just two minutes to put their 3-0 defeat by Manchester United behind them when Michael Lang struck from inside the area after a break on the left.

Basel effectively killed off the game with a stunning second on 21 minutes when Renato Steffen mounted a counter-attack from deep inside his own half and found Oberlin who threaded a neat finish through goalkeeper Julio Cesar's legs.

A bad night for Benfica's 5,000 travelling supporters turned rapidly worse with Dutchman Ricky van Wolfswinkel scoring Basel's third from the penalty spot after Lubomir Fejsa brought down the dangerous Oberlin in the box.

The 68th-minute dismissal of Andre Almeida for a wild two-footed lunge on Luca Zuffi made the home side's task that much easier with Oberlin adding his second and Blas Riveros their fifth as Benfica suffered their first competitive loss to a Swiss side.

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