Benfica 2-1 Gil Vicente Player Ratings: Vangelis Pavlidis 9/10 Rated as Benfica Secures Comeback Win 2-1 Victory

Benfica managed to scrape a 2-1 victory against a very spirited Gil Vicente side in the Liga Portugal. The scoreline doesn't tell the full story of Gil Vicente's effort. They were arguably the better side for large spells of this encounter. They stunned the hosts at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica with a sensational goal.

Luís Esteves fired in an incredible free-kick in the 11th minute. It left everyone watching, including us, absolutely speechless. But credit to Benfica, they didn't panic. Their response was swift and ruthless, led by their star striker. The man of the moment, Vangelis Pavlidis, leveled the score just seven minutes later.

The turning point arrived soon after. The tricky Dodi Lukébakio was brought down in the box, and Pavlidis calmly converted the penalty to complete the first-half turnaround. Despite going behind, Gil Vicente never let their heads drop. They hit the woodwork, had a goal contentiously disallowed by VAR, and forced Anatoliy Trubin into a string of fine saves. This match was on a knife-edge until the very end, concluding with a late red card for a Gil Vicente substitute. It was a proper battle. Here are the Benfica vs Gil Vicente player ratings.

Gil Vicente Player Ratings vs Benfica

Here are the Gil Vicente player ratings vs Benfica.

Goalkeeper

Andrew da Silva Ventura - 6.0: He couldn't do much about either of the goals conceded. The first was a sharp finish and the second a penalty. Made a couple of decent saves throughout the match but wasn't tested as much as his counterpart. A standard performance in a tough loss.

Defenders

José Carlos Teixeira Lopes dos Reis Gonçalves - 6.5: The captain led by example with a solid defensive shift. He was strong in the tackle, winning most of his duels. We noticed he tried to support the attack when possible. A committed performance from the skipper.

Ghislain Konan - 6.0: A very active and energetic performance down the left flank. He was everywhere, recovering the ball 13 times which is impressive. However, conceding the penalty was a clumsy and costly mistake. It really overshadowed his otherwise positive contributions.

Marvin Adolphe Fabrice Elimbi Gilbert - 5.5: A difficult evening for the defender. He seemed to struggle with the pace and movement of Benfica's attack. Lost most of his individual battles and picked up a booking. From our view, he never looked comfortable.

Jonathan Buatu Mananga - 5.0: This was a tough one. He made a number of clearances and was physically present. But giving away the penalty for the winning goal is a moment he'll want to forget. That single action ultimately cost his team a point.

Midfielders

Facundo Agustín Cáseres - 6.5: What stood out to us was his tidiness in possession. He kept the ball moving with an impressive 91% pass accuracy. He worked hard to break up play, providing a solid screen for his defense. A disciplined, if unspectacular, outing.

Luís André Leite Esteves - 8.0: Simply sensational. His 11th-minute free-kick was a thing of beauty, a genuine goal-of-the-season contender. Beyond the goal, he created three chances and was his team's main creative spark all game. An outstanding individual performance despite the result.

Santiago García González - 7.0: A bundle of energy in the midfield. He was always in the thick of the action, drawing fouls and driving his team forward. He was desperately unlucky to see his shot hit the woodwork. His fighting spirit was evident until he was subbed off.

Forwards

Pablo Felipe Pereira de Jesus - 7.0: An absolute nightmare for defenders to play against. He contested an incredible 30 duels, showing his commitment and desire. Created some big chances and was cruelly denied a goal by VAR. A frustrating but very impressive display of hold-up play.

Agustín Nahuel Moreira Morales - 6.5: Looked very sharp in the first half. He forced Trubin into two good saves and was a constant threat. We were a bit surprised to see him substituted at half-time as he seemed to have the beating of his man. A promising 45 minutes.

Murilo de Souza Costa - 7.5: He must be wondering what more he could have done. He created three chances, delivered some excellent crosses, and was denied by the crossbar. He was a constant threat and one of Gil Vicente's most dangerous players. A fantastic effort.

Substitutes

Joelson Fernandes - 6.0: Came on at the break and showed some bright sparks. He looked to be direct and run at the Benfica defence.

Zé Carlos II - 5.5: Replaced the energetic García but couldn't replicate his impact on the game.

Hevertton Santos - 2.0: A disastrous cameo. Came on late and managed to get himself sent off for two yellow cards. A moment of madness that offered nothing to his team.

Manager

P. da Silva Peixoto - 7.0: From our perspective, his game plan was spot on. His team came out fearless, took the game to Benfica, and were genuinely unlucky not to get a result. His tactics caused Benfica all sorts of problems throughout the match.

Benfica Player Ratings vs Gil Vicente

Here are the Benfica player ratings vs Gil Vicente.

Goalkeeper

Anatoliy Trubin - 8.0: While Pavlidis will get the headlines, Trubin was just as important for this win. He made seven saves, with several being top-class stops in the second half to preserve the lead. A commanding and match-winning performance from the keeper.

Defenders

António Silva - 6.0: A strange game from him. He made plenty of clearances but also looked vulnerable and was caught out of position a few times. Committed a few needless fouls. Not his most assured performance, to be honest.

Amar Dedić - 5.0: He had a torrid time. From our view, he was consistently targeted by Gil Vicente's attackers and struggled badly. He was dribbled past three times and just looked off the pace. A day to forget for the defender.

Samuel Dahl - 6.0: A quiet, steady performance without being remarkable. He was solid enough defensively but offered very little going forward. Did his job but didn't stand out before being substituted.

Nicolás Otamendi - 7.5: A classic performance from the veteran captain. He was a rock at the back, dominant in the air and read the game superbly. Made crucial interceptions and clearances when his team was under pressure. A real leader's display.

Midfielders

Fredrik Aursnes - 6.5: He put in a real shift, as always. His work rate was immense, covering a lot of ground for the team. While he wasn't a huge influence on the ball, his defensive discipline was vital in a chaotic game.

Georgiy Sudakov - 6.5: Showed flashes of his quality, creating a couple of chances. However, he also gave the ball away cheaply at times. A decent but inconsistent performance before being taken off.

Richard Ríos - 7.0: What a warrior in midfield. He was relentless, throwing himself into 22 duels and winning more than his fair share. Made crucial tackles and interceptions to break up Gil Vicente's attacks. A hugely important combative display.

Andreas Schjelderup - 5.5: We honestly forgot he was playing for large periods. He was on the periphery of the game and failed to make any real impact. It was no surprise to see him substituted.

Forwards

Dodi Lukébakio - 8.0: A constant menace. His pace and direct running caused all sorts of problems. He was the one who won the decisive penalty with a clever piece of skill. A very lively and effective performance.

Vangelis Pavlidis - 9.0: The undisputed man of the match. Two goals, including a pressure penalty, to win the game for his side. His all-round centre-forward play was exceptional; holding the ball up, winning aerial duels, and being ruthlessly clinical. An absolutely top-class performance and the highest-rated player on the pitch.

Substitutes

Leandro Barreiro - 6.0: Came on to shore up the midfield and did exactly that, adding some physicality.

Franjo Ivanovic - 6.0: Didn't have the same impact as the man he replaced, Lukébakio, but worked hard.

Manager

José Mourinho - 7.0: His team looked shell-shocked after the early goal. But he deserves credit for the way they responded so quickly to turn the game on its head. His second-half changes were pragmatic and focused on seeing out the win. It wasn't pretty, but it was effective.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match is Vangelis Pavlidis