Cliftonville Ladies left chasing shadows as Benfica show the gulf in Champions League class

Benfica 8 Cliftonville Ladies 1

Cliftonville Ladies were well beaten by Benfica

Caitlin McGuinness scored a consolation goal for Cliftonville

The higher you rise in any sport the smaller the margins become.

Cliftonville Ladies found that out on the biggest night in their history as their Women’s Champions League debut opened their eyes to a huge gulf in class. A chasm really.

At this level the speed of the opposition can leave you chasing shadows. Even the smallest mistakes are punished.

Cliftonville learned all that in the space of 65 minutes as Portuguese giants Benfica inflicted an 8-1 defeat on the Irish League champions.

If playing on this stage was about making memories Caitlin McGuinness now has one that will last a lifetime, scoring a superb header to give the Solitude girls something to take from the game. After holding out for first 25 minutes one goal led to another — and another and then another — as the Reds found themselves 4-0 down by half-time.

A bullet header from Marie D’Anjou put Benfica in front. It was Andrea Falcon’s reaction to chase the ball out to the left after a cross from the right beat everyone in the middle that really made the chance, with the defence slow to close her down.

Cliftonville did enjoy some possession in the opposing half, but when they lost it high up the pitch 34 minutes in Benfica broke quickly and then luck went out the window as Rachel Norney saved Falcon’s shot, but after Toni Leigh Finnegan cleared Lucia Alves’ effort off line the ball hit the Reds goalkeeper before rebounding into the net.

Two minutes later Falcon powered down the left, Andreia Faria pulled the ball back and Alves this time needed no help in smashing home.

Four minutes before the break a free kick was