UEFA Europa League Qualifying Round 2
Benfica 5 - 0 FT FC ST. Gallen
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots on Target
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
11' V. Pavlidis (Rafa Silva)
J. Stanic 21'
↓ T. Gaal ↑J. Ruiz 33'
HT
C. Okoroji 50'
55' V. Pavlidis (J. Kaminski)
J. Stanic 57'
J. Stanic 57'
↓ C. Witzig ↑A. Hunziker 57'
↓ C. Boukhalfa ↑L. Frokaj 57'
65' V. Pavlidis (A. Bah)
66' ↓ L. Barreiro ↑R. Rios
↓ A. Balde ↑E. Owusu 71'
↓ L. Gortler ↑C. Konietzke 71'
74' V. Pavlidis
75' ↓ Rafa Silva ↑D. Lukebakio
75' ↓ J. Kaminski ↑A. Schjelderup
77' ↓ A. Bah ↑A. Dedic
77' ↓ V. Pavlidis ↑J. Duran
82' C. Lenglet (D. Lukebakio)
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Benfica
Goalkeepers
Anatoliy Trubin
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Defenders
Alexander Bah
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
António Silva
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Clément Lenglet
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Samuel Dahl
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
Leandro Barreiro
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Enzo Barrenechea
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Rafa Silva
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Georgiy Sudakov
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Jakub Kamiński
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Forwards
Vangelis Pavlidis
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
Samuel Soares
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Amar Dedić
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Tomás Araújo
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
José Neto
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Richard Ríos
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Dodi Lukebakio
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Manu Silva
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Andreas Schjelderup
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Miguel Figueiredo
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Franjo Ivanović
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Jhon Durán
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Anísio Cabral
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
FC ST. Gallen
Goalkeepers
Lukas Watkowiak
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Defenders
Tom Gaal
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Jozo Stanić
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
Chima Okoroji
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Hugo Vandermersch
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Lukas Görtler
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Lukas Daschner
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Carlo Boukhalfa
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Mihailo Stevanović
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Christian Witzig
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Forwards
Aliou Balde
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
Bela Dumrath
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Yannick Bujard
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Joel Ruiz
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Mostafa Heydari
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Corsin Konietzke
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Leon Frokaj
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Betim Fazliji
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Enoch Owusu
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Andrin Hunziker
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Diego Besio
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07/23/2026 | FC ST. Gallen | 2 - 1 | Benfica | UEFA Europa League | Kybunpark |
07/23/2026
Benfica Win
FC ST. Gallen Win
Draw
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Pavlidis Poker Punishes St. Gallen in Lisbon
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 63/100. Our verdict: A ruthless attacking exhibition by Benfica that leaves St. Gallen's European dreams in ruins after a second-half collapse.
Early Intent
Benfica wasted absolutely no time stamping their authority on this knockout tie. From the opening exchanges at Estádio da Luz, the hosts completely dominated possession, suffocating FC ST. Gallen with a staggering 73% share of the ball. The relentless pressure paid off instantly. In the 11th minute, V. Pavlidis found the back of the net after a slick sequence involving Rafa Silva. This early opener perfectly reflected the massive Stakes of this 2nd Qualifying Round clash. The visitors spent the entire first half chasing shadows, managing barely a handful of touches in the attacking third as the home side dictated the tempo with supreme confidence and tactical superiority.
The Breaking Point
If the Swiss side harbored any hopes of a second-half resurgence, those dreams were brutally extinguished in a chaotic two-minute span. The Balance of the tie was permanently shattered in the 55th minute when Pavlidis doubled the advantage, clinically finishing an incisive pass from J. Kaminski. Before St. Gallen could even process the two-goal deficit, disaster struck again. Just two minutes later, J. Stanic committed a desperate tripping foul, earning a straight red card. Reduced to ten men against an opponent already operating at a supreme level, the visitors were left fatally exposed. The numerical disadvantage turned a difficult assignment into an absolute nightmare, ripping apart whatever defensive cohesion they had left.
Total Annihilation
The final half-hour became an absolute shooting gallery. With the Intensity cranked to maximum, Benfica utilized their numerical superiority to relentlessly punish St. Gallen. Pavlidis completed a brilliant hat-trick in the 65th minute courtesy of A. Bah, but the Greek striker was far from finished. He stepped up in the 74th minute to convert a penalty, making it four goals on the night for a historic individual haul. The hosts added a final flourish when C. Lenglet headed home an 82nd-minute corner from D. Lukebakio. A barrage of ten shots on target proved Benfica didn't just win—they systematically dismantled their opposition.
Key Questions
How did the red card for J. Stanic impact the match?
It triggered a total collapse. Already down 2-0, St. Gallen conceded three more goals as Benfica mercilessly exploited the extra space.
What caused the 5-goal thriller?
A historic four-goal performance from V. Pavlidis, a 73% possession chokehold, and a visiting red card that destroyed St. Gallen's defense.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Benfica Ready to Dominate Swiss Underdogs
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 30/100. A massive gulf in quality makes this qualifying tie a routine stepping stone for the Portuguese giants rather than a competitive spectacle.
The Setup
This Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round clash on July 30, 2026, presents a classic mismatch. Benfica step onto the pitch with expectations of a deep European run, and these early hurdles rarely trouble them. A low Stars rating for the visitors means the spotlight is entirely on the home side. With a severely skewed Balance, the Portuguese heavyweights are expected to control the tempo from the opening whistle. The Stakes are simple: win and advance, but the Swiss outfit faces an uphill battle to keep the tie alive despite whatever Form they bring domestically.
Key Battle
The defining clash will be the Benfica attacking unit against a stubborn but outgunned FC ST. Gallen defense. Look for H. Sudakov to pull the strings in midfield, constantly feeding V. Pavlidis in dangerous areas. If the visitors manage to string together any rare counter-attacks, Tomás Araújo will be tasked with sweeping up the danger swiftly.
Our Prediction
Our verdict is a resounding home victory. Benfica will pin the visitors deep, monopolize possession, and eventually break down the low block to secure a comfortable multi-goal cushion heading into the second leg.