Benfica defeated Lech Poznan 3-1 at the Estádio da Luz on Thursday in the fourth round of the Europa League league phase, according to RTP. Rafa Silva, Gianluca Prestianni and Heorhiy Sudakov scored for the Lisbon club, while Leo Bengtsson netted for the Polish visitors.
The result leaves Benfica on 12 points at the top of the standings, level with Bournemouth and Ferencváros. Lech Poznan sit 35th and second from bottom with a single point.
Why it matters
With the league phase now four games old, the table is beginning to take shape, and Benfica's position at the summit gives Marco Silva's side a strong platform in the race for direct qualification to the knockout rounds. RTP also reported that Silva described the club's upcoming fixtures as "important" for securing a direct place, underlining that the margin at the top is thin.
For Lech Poznan, the defeat deepens a difficult campaign. One point from four matches leaves the Polish side in the elimination places, with little room to recover as the remaining rounds approach.
An early goal settles the hosts
Benfica started with clear intent and needed only six minutes to take the lead. Rafa Silva capitalised on a lapse in the Polish defence to open the scoring, a goal that RTP said gave the home side composure.
From there, Benfica controlled the tempo and kept most of the ball through much of the first half. Lech Poznan, by contrast, sat deeper and looked to threaten on the counter-attack rather than commit numbers forward.
The pattern continued after the interval as Benfica pushed to put the game beyond reach. The second goal arrived in the 67th minute, when Prestianni, the young Argentine, finished a strong solo run with a placed shot to double the advantage.
A wobble, then reassurance
Lech Poznan responded quickly. Five minutes after Prestianni's goal, Bengtsson pulled one back for the visitors, capitalising on a mistake by Enzo Barrenechea inside the Benfica penalty area. RTP described the moment as a gift that briefly changed the mood in the stadium.
Any hope of a comeback was extinguished in the 90th minute, when Sudakov scored to restore Benfica's two-goal cushion and confirm the win.
The victory extends Benfica's strong run in the competition and keeps them in a three-way tie on points at the top. Bournemouth and Ferencváros, the other sides on 12 points, remain level with the Portuguese club, meaning goal difference and the coming matchdays will decide who secures the most favourable route through the league phase.
Benfica's next European fixture will be the immediate focus, with Silva having already flagged the importance of the matches ahead for direct qualification. Lech Poznan, meanwhile, must find a response quickly if they are to keep their hopes of progressing alive.
