Benfica overwhelmed St. Gallen in a 5-0 victory in Lisbon.
Benfica beat St. Gallen 5-0 at Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica in the UEFA Europa League, with Pavlidis scoring four goals and Lenglet sealing the victory for the home side.
- 0'The match has started.
Benfica hosts St. Gallen.
- 11'Pavlidis put Benfica ahead.
In the 11th minute, Vangelis Pavlidis scored after an assist from Rafa Silva, giving Benfica a 1-0 lead over St. Gallen. The early goal gave Benfica an advantage right from the start of the match.
- 13'Benfica controlled the game.
At the 13th minute, Benfica were leading 1-0 and controlling possession 61-39, but the game wasn't entirely in favor of the home team as both sides had shots on goal, tied at 1-1. St. Gallen maintained their defensive solidity and waited for opportunities to counterattack.
- 21'Jozo Stanic received a yellow card in the 21st minute.
In the 21st minute, Jozo Stanic received a yellow card. St. Gallen were under even more pressure as Benfica were already leading.
- 25'Benfica in control, St Gallen lurking.
At the 25th minute, Benfica were controlling the game with more possession.67 - 33and maintained a 1-0 lead. However, St. Gallen still showed their dangerous attacking prowess with more shots on goal.3 - 5, which means the game isn't entirely one-sided.
- 33'Joel Ruiz came on, Tom Gaal left the match.
In the 33rd minute, Joel Ruiz came on as a substitute for Tom Gaal. Benfica were still holding onto their 1-0 lead against St. Gallen.
- 37'Benfica controlled the game.
In the 37th minute, Benfica were leading 1-0 and had superior ball control with a 72-28 ratio, while also creating pressure with 4-1 corner kicks. St. Gallen had to retreat deep into defense, waiting for opportunities to counter-attack in a game where they were somewhat outplayed.
- 45'End of the first half
At the end of the first half, the score was 1-0.
- 46'The second half has begun.
The second half has begun.
- 50'Chima Okoroji received a yellow card.
In the 50th minute, Chima Okoroji received a yellow card, forcing St. Gallen to be more cautious in challenges while Benfica were leading 1-0.
- 50'Benfica controlled the game.
In the 50th minute, Benfica still dominated the game with 74-26 possession and created significant pressure with 5-1 corner kicks. St. Gallen mainly retreated deep to defend, waiting for opportunities to counter-attack while trailing.
- 55'Pavlidis doubled Benfica's lead.
In the 55th minute, Vangelis Pavlidis scored after an assist from Jakub Kamiński, giving Benfica a 2-0 lead over St. Gallen. The goal further demonstrated Benfica's dominance in the match.
- 57'Jozo Stanic received a red card in the 57th minute.
In the 57th minute, Jozo Stanic received his second yellow card and was sent off. Trailing 2-0, St. Gallen found themselves at an even greater disadvantage.
- 57'Leon Frokaj came on as a substitute for Carlo Boukhalfa.
In the 57th minute, Leon Frokaj came on to replace Carlo Boukhalfa. Benfica were leading 2-0 and controlling the game, so this substitution came at a time when the home team had a clear advantage.
- 57'Hunziker came on as a substitute for Witzig.
In the 57th minute, Andrin Hunziker came on as a substitute for Christian Witzig when St. Gallen were trailing Benfica 2-0.
- 62'Benfica completely controlled the game.
In the 62nd minute, Benfica still maintained complete control with possession.76-24and number of shots15-8St. Gallen had to retreat deep into their own half, as Benfica continued to dominate in corner kick situations with a high percentage.7-1.
- 65'Pavlidis helped Benfica extend their lead.
In the 65th minute, Vangelis Pavlidis scored after an assist from Alexander Bah, extending Benfica's lead to 3-0.
- 66'Richard Ríos came on as a substitute for Leandro Barreiro.
In the 66th minute, Richard Ríos was brought on to replace Leandro Barreiro. Benfica continued to maintain the initiative after a series of favorable developments.
- 71'Corsin Konietzke came on in the 71st minute.
In the 71st minute, Corsin Konietzke came on to replace Lukas Görtler. Benfica were leading St. Gallen 3-0, so this substitution came at a very favorable time for the home team.
- 71'Enoch Owusu came on as a substitute for Aliou Baldé.
In the 71st minute, Enoch Owusu came on as a substitute for Aliou Baldé. Benfica held a significant advantage with a 3-0 lead.
- 74'Pavlidis calmly extended the lead to 4-0.
In the 74th minute, Vangelis Pavlidis calmly converted a penalty, putting Benfica 4-0 ahead of St. Gallen. Benfica were completely in control of the game and continued to widen the gap.
- 74'Benfica completely dominated the game.
In the 74th minute, Benfica still completely controlled the game with 76-24 possession and created superior pressure with 19 shots on goal. St. Gallen focused almost entirely on defending, as Benfica had 8 and 1 corner kick.
- 76'Dodi Lukébakio came on as a substitute for Rafa Silva.
In the 76th minute, Dodi Lukébakio was brought on to replace Rafa Silva. Benfica held a significant advantage with a 4-0 lead, and this substitution helped the home team refresh their attack.
- 76'Andreas Schjelderup came on as a substitute.
In the 76th minute, Andreas Schjelderup came on as a substitute for Jakub Kamiński. Benfica were leading 4-0, so this was the opportune moment for the team to proactively refresh their squad.
- 77'Amar Dedić came on as a substitute for Alexander Bah.
In the 77th minute, Amar Dedić came on to replace Alexander Bah. Benfica were completely dominating the game and leading St. Gallen 4-0, so this substitution helped the home team maintain control in the final minutes.
- 77'Jhon Durán came on as a substitute for Pavlidis.
In the 77th minute, Jhon Durán came on to replace Vangelis Pavlidis. With Benfica leading 4-0, this substitution injected new energy into the attack in the final minutes.
- 82'Benfica extended their lead to 5-0.
In the 82nd minute, Clément Lenglet scored from an assist by Dodi Lukébakio, extending Benfica's lead to 5-0. Benfica continued their dominant performance against St. Gallen.
- 86'Benfica dominated in a one-sided match.
In the 86th minute, Benfica still completely controlled the game with possession.73 - 27, and also had a superior number of shots on goal.22 - 11St. Gallen were under immense pressure and focused almost entirely on defense against the constant pressure from the home team.
- KTFinal score: Benfica 5-0 St. Gallen
The match ended with a score of 5-0.
Updated at 03:53 on 31/07/2026
Key information before the match
Benfica will host St. Gallen at Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica in the UEFA Europa League. The match takes place at 02:00 on July 31, 2026, with Benfica having the home advantage.
A notable point is the most recent encounter between the two teams: Benfica has yet to win, while St. Gallen has emerged victorious. However, the available data only records one such meeting, so it's not yet sufficient to consider this a long-term trend in their rivalry.
Home advantage and the challenge of controlling the game.
Benfica will have a more proactive advantage playing at Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica. In a match where their opponents have won their last encounter, the home team needs to control the tempo from the start and prevent St. Gallen from creating favorable opportunities.
The key for Benfica is to translate their home advantage into consistent pressing, rather than relying solely on bursts of speed. If they control the midfield well, the home team can force St. Gallen to retreat and reduce their space for ball distribution.
Conversely, St. Gallen has a certain psychological advantage from their recent head-to-head results. The away team is likely to aim for a tight approach, prioritizing maintaining their formation and waiting for opportunities when Benfica pushes forward. However, the data provided does not include recent form, tactical formations, or a list of absent players, so it is not yet possible to determine the specific personnel arrangements of both sides.
Key tactical points
The match could be decided by Benfica's ability to handle situations against St. Gallen's defense. The home team needs to move the ball quickly enough to stretch their defensive system, while avoiding unsafe passes in the midfield area.
For St. Gallen, the top priority will be maintaining their defensive structure and exploiting the space behind Benfica's midfield. Their recent win shows that the visitors have a knack for making a difference, but this single fact alone doesn't guarantee they will continue to dominate in the upcoming match.
Benfica vs St. Gallen Prediction
Benfica entered the match with home advantage, while St. Gallen had the support of a victory in their last encounter. This contrast made the match noteworthy: the home team needed to demonstrate their ability to control the game, while the visitors could rely on their confidence to maintain a disciplined style of play.
Overall, Benfica is expected to have the upper hand in terms of space and possession thanks to playing at home. However, St. Gallen remains a formidable opponent, especially considering their recent victory in their last encounter. The final outcome will largely depend on how Benfica breaks down the visitors' defensive structure and St. Gallen's ability to withstand the pressure.
*This article was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI).
