Benfica secured a 2–1 comeback victory against Santa Clara at the Estádio de São Miguel on Monday, October 26, during the ninth round of the Liga Betclic, with Prestianni earning Man of the Match honors for his decisive second-half goal, Sport Lisboa e Benfica reported.

Luís Fernando Opens the Scoring for Santa Clara

The hosts opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when Luís Fernando converted a penalty kick past the Benfica defense. Santa Clara carried the 1–0 advantage into halftime after a disciplined first-half display in Ponta Delgada.

Reflecting on his team’s performance, Fernando acknowledged the quality of the opposition. Fizemos um bom jogo, do outro lado está uma equipa muito bem qualificada, Fernando said in remarks broadcast by Sport TV, as reported by A Bola. The Santa Clara goalscorer added that the squad ultimately left the pitch with their heads held high despite missing the final pass to extend their lead.

Pavlidis and Prestianni Turn the Match Around

Benfica responded after the interval with a pair of goals to flip the fixture. Pavlidis leveled the score at 1–1 in the 63rd minute by beating the Santa Clara goalkeeper.

Five minutes later, Prestianni completed the turnaround. The attacker struck in the 68th minute to make it 2–1 for the visitors, sealing the three points that keep Benfica in pursuit of league leaders Porto.

Following the full-time whistle, Prestianni credited Marco Silva for his improved form and output on the pitch. Deixou-me muito mais solto e feliz, Prestianni told Notícias ao Minuto regarding Silva’s tactical approach.

Late Disciplinary Drama Erupts in Ponta Delgada

The conclusion of the match saw a heated melee on the pitch involving nearly 50 individuals, resulting in multiple disciplinary sanctions, including a red card issued to Benfica player Jhon Durán.

Tenho a garantia absoluta de que o Jhon não fez rigorosamente nada, Silva stated, adding that he hopes the referee’s report is re-evaluated so that justice can be served if no infraction occurred. Silva also noted that he managed to remain calm during the chaotic scene by speaking directly with agitated Santa Clara players rather than engaging in the broader scuffle.

When asked about the late altercation by Sport TV reporters, Fernando downplayed the incident from Santa Clara’s perspective. Tranquilo. É coisa de jogo, aconteceu, mas é tranquilo e cabeça erguida, Fernando said, according to A Bola.