Santa Clara 1-2 Benfica: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings

How Benfica won it

Santa Clara struck first through Fernando from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute. Benfica levelled at 1-1 in the 62nd minute through Vangelis Pavlidis, set up by Gianluca Prestianni. Benfica turned it round: Gianluca Prestianni made it 1-2 in the 68th minute.

It was 1-0 at half-time, and the second half turned the match the other way.

The lead changed hands once.

Jhon Durán of Benfica was sent off in the 90th minute (+6). Fernando of Santa Clara was sent off in the 90th minute (+6). The referee, C. Ruivo Pereira, showed 10 yellow cards: 4 to Santa Clara and 6 to Benfica.

Santa Clara: Petit, 4-2-3-1 · Benfica: M. Saraiva Da Silva, 4-2-3-1.

Moneyball's prediction against the result

Moneyball's pick on the Match Board was Under 2.75. On 1-2 it was half wrong.

The estimate's most likely result was a Benfica win at 67%, and that is what happened. Its single most likely score was 0-2 (12%).

On goals the estimate was close: about 2.9 expected, 3 scored.

Over 2.5 goals had been put at 55%; with 3 goals the over came in, as the estimate leaned.

Both teams to score was 49%; both did, against the estimate.

The pre-match consensus had a Benfica win at 69%, the same lean as Moneyball.

Computed before kick-off from both sides' season goals and expected goals as of 2026-10-26, through a Dixon-Coles score model, and left as it was.

Why it went this way

On the day the expected goals were 2.03 for Santa Clara and 1.86 for Benfica.

Santa Clara scored about 1.0 fewer than their chances were worth: poor finishing, or a goalkeeper at his best.

Santa Clara had 6 shots on target, Benfica 3.

Benfica's goalkeeper made 5 saves.

Benfica had 61% of the ball and turned it into the win.

A red card changed the shape of the match, and no pre-match model can see one coming.

Where the two sides stood before this match

Santa Clara came into it with 11 Liga Portugal matches played, scoring 1.4 and conceding 0.7 a match, with 1.30 expected goals for and 1.04 against, and had won 55% of their matches.

Benfica came into it with 11 Liga Portugal matches played, scoring 2.7 and conceding 0.9 a match, with 2.14 expected goals for and 0.87 against, and had won 82% of their matches.

Santa Clara vs Benfica: the match in numbers

Team statistics from Sportmonks.

Player ratings and man of the match

Man of the match: Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica), rated 8.0 by Sportmonks, with 1 goal, 1 assist.

Santa Clara

• Fernando 7.5 1 goal
• Lucas Soares 7.0
• Pedro Ferreira 6.8
• Tiago Ribeiro 6.8
• Vinícius Lopes 6.7

Benfica

• Gianluca Prestianni 8.0 1 goal, 1 assist
• Vangelis Pavlidis 7.5 1 goal
• Samuel Soares 7.1
• Samuel Dahl 7.0
• Andreas Schjelderup 7.0

The lowest-rated starter was Lucas França at 6.2. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.

What comes next

• Benfica: Viktoria Plzeň vs Benfica Thursday 26 November 2026 · Europa League

Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.

Questions about Santa Clara vs Benfica

What was the score in Santa Clara vs Benfica?

Santa Clara 1-2 Benfica (half-time 1-0), Liga Portugal, Monday 26 October 2026.

Who scored in Santa Clara vs Benfica?

Fernando 32', Vangelis Pavlidis 62', Gianluca Prestianni 68'.

Did Moneyball predict Santa Clara vs Benfica correctly?

Moneyball's pick on the Match Board was Under 2.75. On 1-2 it was half wrong.

Who was man of the match in Santa Clara vs Benfica?

Gianluca Prestianni, rated 8.0 by Sportmonks.

Who refereed Santa Clara vs Benfica?

C. Ruivo Pereira.