The reaction, as euphoric as it was passionate, born of reciprocated love, like the one seen from the opening whistle to the team's farewell, was the best proof that Benfica supporters are believing again after going through tribulations, adversities or doubts that corrode faith the way rust corrodes iron. Marco Silva's team regained that strength to attack the league title, confirming signs of evolution, enough to thrash Moreirense without a blemish and with a luxury display. It is not a finished product, far from it – after all, another new signing (El Karouani) made his debut just yesterday – but the signs are so positive that the mini-hell of Luz in Minho became a sort of red paradise.

It is almost obligatory to kick off this report with Gianluca Prestianni, today an angel pouring out blessings (a goal and an assist, and much more besides) to tend to the contrite hearts of supporters over the recent past. It was the Argentine forward, above all, who made the red hearts beat and who comforted them. He was accompanied by others, like Schjelderup or Pavlidis, and was followed later by everyone. Benfica were a complete team, with errors too, of course, from goal to attack.

The three points won in this postponed third-round match showed Benfica are on the right path to playing as members and supporters like, the Benfica way — a very strong start, using various attacking resources (short or long passes with a dizzying drive towards goal, exploring above all the left flank), advanced lines, quick ball recovery in the opponent's midfield, speed, chances in abundance, though too much waste for so much production.

By the 10th minute, Benfica had created and missed three clear goalscoring chances, having started immediately with Pavlidis at 36 seconds. From then on they never stopped until the end.

Marco Silva, for the first time, started with Prestianni and Schjelderup, who had been on the pitch together for the last 30 minutes against Marítimo. That rehearsal in Funchal was positive and now, in Minho, it has evolved. The Argentine played behind Pavlidis, in place of Sudakov, and the Norwegian was on the left – it was down that channel that the ball moved most, without Moreirense finding solutions to halt the impact of the trio.

Already with some anxiety on the Benfica bench, caused by the run of wasted chances, the goal arrived after a video assistant referee intervention, after Fábio Veríssimo, lenient with his cards, had not seen Parsemain's kick on Lenglet, following the Frenchman's header from a corner. Pavlidis did not forgive – he sent the ball one way and André Ferreira, who had already made so many saves, the other. The numbers at the end of the first half said everything about Benfica's dominance – 25 attacks, 72 per cent possession, 13 shots, six corners and 14 crosses.

Moreirense, despite having barely managed to get forward, were, in the first half, a competitive, intense and almost immaculate team in defence, even during many moments of distress. They threatened Samuel Soares only once. In the second half, they reached the Reds' goal twice in the first two minutes, but Prestianni's genius – he left Dinis Pinto glued to the turf before providing the assist, with as much class as calmness, for Schjelderup's second goal. The Argentine striker poured out yet another blessing – he left Gilberto Batista behind after withstanding a shoulder charge from the strapping fellow who stands 21 centimetres taller, and finished in front of André Ferreira.

Marco Silva then started to think about the next games, the first already on Sunday against Gil Vicente at the Luz. He took Prestianni, Barreiro and Pavlidis out of the game to feed the desire to play of Durán, Aursnes and Lukebakio.

With Moreirense already destroyed, there was still another goal, from Aursnes, with the assist courtesy of Schjelderup.