Benfica came from behind to beat Gil Vicente 3-1 at home on Sunday, with a brace from Vangelis Pavlidis and a stoppage-time goal from Gianluca Prestianni sealing the sixth-round win. The result keeps Benfica two points behind leaders FC Porto, who they face in the next round.
Pavlidis scored in the 29th minute and again from the penalty spot in the 88th, taking him to eight league goals this season, before Prestianni added the third in the third minute of stoppage time. Gil Vicente had led since the seventh minute through Hector Hernandez.
Gil Vicente strike first
Hernandez put the visitors ahead with the Barcelos club's first shot of the match, beating Benfica goalkeeper Samuel Soares. Benfica had already threatened before the goal, with Enzo Barrenechea heading over from a Prestianni cross in the second minute and Leandro Barreiro glancing a header from a Clement Lenglet pass narrowly off target in the ninth. Barrenechea was booked in the 12th minute.
Pavlidis levels with a Panenka
Benfica drew level in the 29th minute. Barrenechea played the ball into the area, Prestianni and Pavlidis both went for it, and the Argentine squared for the Greek striker, who chipped goalkeeper Lucao with a Panenka-style finish. The goal was checked by the video assistant referee during a hydration break in the 31st minute before being confirmed.
Benfica kept pressing before the interval, with 18-year-old Daniel Banjaqui, a world champion with Portugal's under-17 national team, also testing Lucao, and Andreas Schjelderup curling an effort against the outside of the post in the 38th minute.
Penalty turns the game
Gil Vicente made a double change after the break, sending on Mohamed Kaba for Hernandez and Santi Garcia for Agustin Moreira in the 56th minute. Benfica responded by bringing on Joao Palhinha for Barrenechea and Fredrik Aursnes for Barreiro shortly after. Palhinha was booked in the 63rd minute, while play was twice halted for injuries to Gil Vicente's Jonathan Buatu and David Moreira. Lucao was cautioned in the 70th minute after further chances for both Schjelderup and Gil Martins went unconverted.
Benfica turned to their bench again, introducing Claudio Echeverri for Schjelderup and Dodi Lukebakio for Rafa in the 72nd minute. Prestianni then struck the crossbar in the 86th minute, and moments later Aursnes was fouled inside the area by Tidjany Toure, who had just come on for Gil Vicente. Pavlidis converted the resulting penalty to put Benfica 2-1 ahead in the 87th minute, completing the turnaround.
Prestianni seals the win
Gil Vicente pushed for an equaliser in stoppage time, with Andreas Lausen forcing a save from Samuel Soares, who celebrated by pressing his head against defender Tomas Araujo's. Play was stopped again for an injury to Ze Carlos before Prestianni settled the match in the third minute of stoppage time, cutting inside and finishing to make it 3-1.
Ricardo Esgaio was shown a yellow card in the fifth minute of stoppage time as the match ended.
Benfica's fifth straight win
The victory was Benfica's fifth in a row in the league, following a 2-2 draw on the opening day at home to Academico de Viseu, played without spectators. Benfica moved to 16 points, two behind defending champions and leaders FC Porto, who they will play next Sunday. Gil Vicente have now gone three matches without a win and sit ninth with seven points.
