Sports 3 November 2026

Benfica 1-0 Alverca as Pavlidis scores from the spot for a sixth straight win

Benfica closed Matchday 10 with a 1-0 win at the Luz. Half-time substitute Claudio Echeverri was brought down by Sergi Gómez and Vangelis Pavlidis converted on 51 minutes. Alverca had a goal ruled out for offside. Benfica go second on 25 points, five behind FC Porto.

Benfica beat Alverca 1-0 on Monday night in the game that closed Matchday 10 of the Liga. Vangelis Pavlidis scored the only goal from the penalty spot on 51 minutes. It’s a sixth win in a row for Benfica, who move up to second on 25 points, five behind leaders FC Porto, still perfect after ten games.

The moment that settled it

Marco Silva took off Schjelderup at half-time and sent on Claudio Echeverri. Soon after the restart the Argentine went down in the box under a challenge from the veteran Sergi Gómez, and the Greek striker made no mistake. It wasn’t a clear-cut call, and it was argued over long after the final whistle.

That’s four games in a row with a goal for Pavlidis. He tops the scoring chart on ten, two clear of Sporting’s Luis Suárez.

Alverca had their moments

The visitors did put the ball in the net, around the 25th minute. A free kick from the left took a deflection, Samuel Soares pushed it onto the post and Bojang tucked in the rebound, only for it to be ruled out for offside. In the second half, Chiquinho forced two proper saves from Benfica’s keeper.

Alverca were without Baseya and Vidigal, both suspended after red cards last time out. It’s a second straight defeat, and they stay tenth on 11 points.

What’s next

Grinding out a win still counts, and the official Liga Portugal match page records only the 1-0. Benfica host Lech Poznań in the Europa League on Thursday, then travel to the Reboleira to face Estrela da Amadora on Sunday.

By Vasco Almada

Image: Ser! / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), composition by Tugadaily

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