Benfica needed a second-half lift to turn Santa Clara over at the Estádio de São Miguel, and Gianluca Prestianni provided it. The Argentine finished with an assist and a goal in the 2-1 comeback, after Benfica trailed 1-0 following Luis Fernando Santos Oliveira's 32nd-minute penalty.
Prestianni's second-half impact
Prestianni set up Pavlidis in the 62nd minute to bring Benfica level, then scored their second goal six minutes later. A Bola's match report called him the player who, with an assist and a goal, decided an intense duel on matchday 9 of the championship.
His numbers matched the way the game felt. Prestianni was the highest-rated player in the match with 8.24, and he also finished with two key passes. It was a strong return from a player who already has six league goals this season, and this was the kind of late influence Benfica were missing while Santa Clara were still in control.
Santa Clara's early control
Santa Clara's lead came from the penalty spot after Dahl handled the ball, and Lucas França had already made a save in the 57th minute before Benfica's pressure increased. The hosts looked organised for long spells, but the game shifted fast once Benfica found a way through after the interval.
Pedro Ferreira came off in the 85th minute bleeding profusely after a second-half clash, a messy end to a match Santa Clara had spent much of the night making awkward for the visitors. The defeat leaves them fourth in the Primeira Liga on 18 points from nine games, while Benfica leave with a comeback built around Prestianni's two decisive actions.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
