Vangelis Pavlidis produced one of the finest individual performances of the early European season, scoring a brilliant hat-trick as Benfica stormed back from a first-leg deficit to beat St. Gallen 3-0 at the Estádio da Luz and advance 3-2 on aggregate in the 2026-27 UEFA Europa League qualifying playoffs.
The Context: Benfica Needed a Comeback
This was a high-stakes second leg for Benfica and their new head coach Marco Silva. In the first leg played in Switzerland on July 23, Benfica suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat, with goals from Tom Gaal and Aliou Balde giving St. Gallen a shock lead heading into the return fixture at the Estádio da Luz. Rafa Silva had pulled one back for Benfica, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the deficit.
Going into Thursday’s game, Benfica needed to win by two or more goals to advance. The pressure was real — this was their first official European game at home under Silva, and an early European exit would have been a damaging start to the new campaign. Benfica had finished third in Liga Portugal in 2025-26 with 80 points, qualifying for the Europa League rather than the Champions League, which added extra weight to the need to progress.
First Half: Pavlidis Opens the Scoring
The match got off to an edgy start, with St. Gallen’s first chance coming early when Christian Witzig fired powerfully from distance — but straight into the defense. The Swiss side were compact and well-organized, showing they had every intention of defending their aggregate lead.
Benfica broke the deadlock in the 11th minute. Rafa Silva played the key pass to pick out Vangelis Pavlidis, who controlled beautifully and finished to give the home side the lead. The Estádio da Luz erupted — and the tie was level on aggregate.
Benfica went into halftime leading 1-0 on the night, with the tie level at 2-2 on aggregate. At that point, the match was heading to extra time or a penalty shootout. The second half would be decisive.
Second Half: Pavlidis Completes a Hat-Trick
The second half resumed at a slower tempo initially, with both teams showing signs of tension. But Benfica continued to press, and Pavlidis was everywhere — relentless in his movement and dangerous every time the ball came near him.
The second goal came when Kaminski found Pavlidis at the edge of the area. The Greek striker controlled the ball, cut inside, and drilled a low shot into the left corner of the net. Benfica were now leading on aggregate for the first time across the two legs.
St. Gallen’s task became even harder when Stanic — already on a yellow card — brought down Sudakov and was shown a second yellow, reducing the visitors to ten men. With the numerical advantage, Benfica pressed for the kill.
Pavlidis completed his hat-trick to make it 3-0 on the night and seal a 3-2 aggregate victory for Benfica. The Estádio da Luz celebrated a dramatic comeback win — and Marco Silva’s side had secured their place in the next round of European competition.
Star of the Match: Vangelis Pavlidis
Pavlidis was the undisputed hero of the night. The Greek striker came into the game in exceptional form — in 2025-26, he had played 53 matches for Benfica, scoring 30 goals and providing six assists, finishing as the second top scorer in Liga Portugal with 22 league goals.
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His hat-trick against St. Gallen showcased everything that makes him so dangerous: intelligent movement, excellent positioning inside the box, and the composure to finish with both feet. He also contributed to build-up play throughout the match, creating space for his teammates before taking his own chances expertly when they fell.
Team Lineups
Benfica (Expected XI)
Trubin; Bah, António Silva, Lenglet, Dahl; Manu Silva, Miguel Figueiredo; Kaminski, Sudakov, Rafa Silva; Pavlidis
FC St. Gallen (Expected XI)
Ati-Zigi; Gaal, Stanic, Okoroji; Vandermersch, Görtler, Daschner, Boukhalfa, Stevanović; Witzig, Balde
Referee
Florian Badstübner (Germany), assisted by Christof Günsch and Philipp Huwe. Robin Braun was fourth official, with Christian Dingert as VAR official, assisted by Benjamin Brand.
How Both Teams Arrived at This Match
Benfica’s Recent Form
Benfica came into Thursday’s game with two wins and one loss in their most recent fixtures. They beat Villarreal 2-0 in a pre-season friendly on July 17, with goals from Pavlidis and Rafa Silva. After losing the first leg to St. Gallen on July 23, they bounced back immediately with a 5-1 win over Belenenses in a friendly on July 24, with Prestianni (2), Jhon Durán, Ivanovic, and Anísio Cabral all scoring.
St. Gallen’s Recent Form
St. Gallen arrived with mixed recent form. They lost 6-3 to Lyon in a pre-season friendly on July 11, then lost 3-0 to Norwich on July 17. However, they had recovered with a 2-1 league win over Zurich on July 26 — just four days before the second leg — with goals from Hunziker and Görtler. And of course, they arrived with the confidence of having beaten Benfica 2-1 in the first leg.
Season Context: Benfica Under Marco Silva
This match marked a significant early test for Marco Silva’s Benfica. The Portuguese head coach was making his first official European appearance in charge of the club, having been brought in ahead of the 2026-27 season. Before the second leg, he spoke with confidence about his team’s ability to turn the tie around:
Silva stressed the importance of controlling the match on Benfica’s terms — preventing St. Gallen from dictating a physical, transition-based game — and called on the Estádio da Luz crowd to be the “12th player.” With nearly 65,000 fans roaring them on, Benfica delivered exactly what their coach asked for.
What’s Next for Benfica?
With this result, Benfica advance to the next stage of the 2026-27 UEFA Europa League qualifying competition. Their next European outing will be confirmed in the coming days following the draw for the next qualifying round.
Domestically, Benfica are set to play a friendly against Académico de Viseu on Sunday, August 9, as they continue their pre-season preparation ahead of the Liga Portugal campaign getting underway.
What’s Next for St. Gallen?
St. Gallen exit the UEFA Europa League qualifying but can hold their heads high after an impressive first-leg win against one of Portugal’s biggest clubs. They return to domestic action on Sunday, August 2, when they travel to Vaduz in the Swiss Super League. St. Gallen had finished second in the Swiss Super League in 2025-26, 14 points behind champions Thun, and will be aiming to challenge again this season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Benfica vs St. Gallen on July 30, 2026?
Benfica beat St. Gallen 3-0 at the Estádio da Luz on July 30, 2026, in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League qualifying playoffs. Vangelis Pavlidis scored all three goals — a hat-trick.
Who won the Benfica vs St. Gallen tie on aggregate?
Benfica won 3-2 on aggregate. St. Gallen had won the first leg 2-1 in Switzerland on July 23. Benfica overturned the deficit with a 3-0 win at home in the second leg on July 30.
Who scored for Benfica against St. Gallen?
Vangelis Pavlidis scored all three goals for Benfica in the second leg — a hat-trick. His first goal in the 11th minute was assisted by Rafa Silva.
Who is Vangelis Pavlidis?
Vangelis Pavlidis is Benfica’s Greek striker and their top scorer. In the 2025-26 season, he played 53 matches, scored 30 goals, and provided six assists, finishing as the second-highest scorer in Liga Portugal with 22 league goals. He is known for his intelligent movement, composure in front of goal, and ability to finish with both feet.
Where can I watch Benfica’s next Europa League match?
Benfica’s next UEFA Europa League qualifying match details will be confirmed following the draw for the next round. In the US, UEFA Europa League matches are broadcast on Paramount+ and TUDN. Check your local listings for coverage in your region.
Bottom Line
Benfica’s 3-0 second-leg win over St. Gallen was a statement performance — exactly the kind of big-game response that new head coach Marco Silva needed from his squad in his first official European home game in charge. Vangelis Pavlidis was simply unplayable on the night, and his hat-trick will be one of the standout individual performances of the early European season.
The Eagles are through, and they’ll be looking to carry this momentum into the next round of Europa League qualifying — and into the start of their Liga Portugal campaign.