Santa Clara 1-2 Benfica
Mourinho’s Benfica did just enough to secure a hard-fought victory against Santa Clara before hosting Real Madrid. The Portuguese side had to work until the final whistle to claim the three points.
Benfica manager José Mourinho celebrates his team’s win over Real Madrid.
LAPRESSE
The match kicked off with Benfica pressing high and looking dangerous. Their early attacks came down the right flank, where they repeatedly found space to exploit. Tomás Araújo took control of the wing and delivered a cross to the near post, but it came to nothing. Minutes later, another excellent cross from the full-back was met by Pavlidis, who made no mistake from close range. A simple header made it 0-1 in the 16th minute.
After falling behind, Santa Clara pushed forward and managed to create some pressure. However, Benfica silenced them with a second goal. A brilliant move by Pavlidis down the left wing saw him pull the ball back for Prestianni to slot home in the 37th minute – unstoppable, 0-2. Half-time.
The second half took a sudden turn. A glaring error from Trubin at a corner kick brought the hosts back into the game. The ball slipped under his legs, and with it, Benfica lost control of the match. Santa Clara surged forward in the following minutes but failed to capitalise. Petit’s substitutions made an impact, yet Benfica managed to hold firm, though they could not find the decisive third goal.
Mourinho grew visibly restless on the touchline, constantly shouting instructions to his players. He was uneasy with only a one-goal lead and everything still to play for. Santa Clara, however, struggled to create clear chances beyond crosses into the box, allowing Benfica’s defense to clear their lines with ease. Later, as the hosts tired, Rafa burst through the middle but was stopped by fouls. The constant interruptions led to Soares receiving a second yellow card for stopping two counterattacks.
The final stages saw little danger from either side, with the midfield battle becoming scrappy and imprecise. Stoppage time followed the same pattern, ending with the ball in Trubin’s hands inside Benfica’s area. The task was done – now focus shifts to the Champions League and the visit of Real Madrid, where they will need to bring their best form.