Benfica fight back to beat Santa Clara 2-1: title race stays alive
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Benfica beat Santa Clara 2-1 on Monday, October 26, 2026, after trailing at half time.
- Vangelis Pavlidis scored in the 62nd minute, and Gianluca Prestianni scored the winner six minutes later.
- The win moved Benfica to 22 points, and they stay second in Liga Portugal, five points behind Porto.
Benfica came from behind to beat Santa Clara 2-1 on Monday, October 26, 2026. The win came at the Estadio de Sao Miguel in Ponta Delgada. It kept Benfica second in Liga Portugal. It ended the home team's unbeaten start to the season.
What happened
Santa Clara took the lead in the 32nd minute. Fernando scored from the penalty spot.
The home team led 1-0 at half time. The crowd in Ponta Delgada could believe in another upset.
Benfica changed the game after the break. Vangelis Pavlidis scored in the 62nd minute. Gianluca Prestianni set up the goal, and the score was level at 1-1.
Prestianni then scored the winner in the 68th minute. Benfica led 2-1 with just over 20 minutes left to play. Santa Clara pushed for a second goal, but they could not find one.
The final score was Santa Clara 1, Benfica 2. The match was Matchday 9 of Liga Portugal. It was the first league defeat of the season for Santa Clara.
The home team had won five and drawn three of their first eight games. That unbeaten run is now over. Benfica, by contrast, have now won seven of their first nine league games.
Why it matters
Benfica went into the game second in the table. They had 19 points from eight games. Porto led them by five points, and the gap could have grown on Monday night.
The win moved Benfica to 22 points from nine games. Porto still lead the table with 27 points. The gap stays at five points, so the title race stays open.
Sporting sit third with 18 points. Santa Clara are fourth, also on 18 points. Arouca are fifth with 17 points, so the top of the table stays tight.
Benfica had scored 24 goals in their first eight league games. That was more than any other team in the division.
The two goals on Monday added to that total. They show why Benfica are hard to stop.
Santa Clara had built their season on a strong defence. They had conceded just four goals before this game. Benfica scored twice in six second-half minutes, and that short burst decided the match.
Benfica also kept their strong record in this fixture. They had won eight of the last ten league games against Santa Clara. They also won 2-1 on their last visit to this ground in February.
Benfica had already beaten Celtic 4-1 in Europe earlier in October. They also beat Omonia 4-1 in Europe in the week before this game. Those results show a team in strong form, and Monday night kept that run going.
Monday night also brought a top-table clash in France, where PSG faced Lyon. That game, like this one, was about the top of the table. Fans who follow Monday night football had two big games to watch.
Porto are the team Benfica must catch. Porto have won all nine of their league games so far. Benfica cannot afford to drop points while Porto keep winning.
What happens next
Benfica stay in the title race with this win. They must keep winning to stay close to Porto. One slip could let Porto pull further away at the top.
Benfica had more of the ball for most of the game. They held about 60 percent of possession, according to the match data.
Santa Clara must bounce back from their first defeat. They are still fourth in the table.
Their strong start gives them a base to build on. One loss does not end their season.
The next round of games will test both teams again. Benfica need to show the same fight they showed in the second half.
Santa Clara need to show this defeat was a one-off. It must not start a bad run.
Both teams have nine games played so far this season.
One night changed the mood for both clubs. Benfica left the Azores with three points and their title hopes intact. Santa Clara left with lessons, and with their first defeat of the season to learn from.
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