In a closely fought Primeira Liga encounter between SL Benfica and Portimonense on 06 January 2023, Benfica emerged victorious with a narrow 1-0 win. The match was defined by solid defensive teamwork and strategic offensive actions by both sides. Analyzing certain key statistical factors can shed light on what made the difference in this game.

The only goal of the match came fairly early in the first half at the 08:10 mark, suggesting that Benfica's initial pressure yielded dividends. Moreover, this early goal might have played a substantial part in setting the game's pace and tone, allowing Benfica to focus more on maintaining their lead.

One factor that cannot be overlooked had to be the imbalance in yellow cards. Portimonense collected two yellow cards during the first half, at 06:56 and 24:53. This perhaps suggests a lack of discipline which could have disrupted their fluidity and allowed Benfica to control the game better. On contrary, Benfica remained disciplined, accumulating no cards throughout the match thus enabling them to maintain a numerical advantage on the field.

In terms of set-pieces, Benfica had a substantial advantage with 12 corner kicks compared to Portimonense's 2. This not only demonstrates Benfica's attacking intent but also indicates their superiority in keeping the ball in the opponent's half. Such a dominance was likely to have kept Portimonense on the back foot, restricting their chances to counter-attack effectively.

The offsides data also provides some interesting insights into the teams' strategies. Benfica was caught offside 4 times compared to Portimonense's single instance. This hints at Benfica's ambitious attacking strategy that often pushed the boundaries, while Portimonense appeared to play a more cautious game.

Finally, when we look at the foul count, it is quite even with Benfica committing 11 fouls and Portimonense 13. This suggests a closely fought game in which both teams were prepared to engage physically when necessary.

In conclusion, while the goal statistic is undisputedly the most vital, it was the combination of Benfica's superior discipline, set-piece advantage, and adventurous attacking strategy that likely played a decisive role in their narrow victory. These observations can provide valuable insights for bettors in predicting teams' performance based on similar statistical factors in future.

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