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Santa Clara-Benfica Ends in Five Red Cards After Late-Match Brawl in São Miguel
Benfica secured a 2-1 away victory against Santa Clara on October 26, 2026, during the ninth round of the I Liga, concluding the match with a massive on-field brawl that resulted in five red cards distributed by referee Cláudio Pereira. The match took place at Estádio São Miguel, where the visiting side overcame a first-half deficit before tensions boiled over into a series of ejections involving players and club staff from both squads.
How the Match and the Subsequent Brawl Unfolded
The hosts opened the scoring at the 32-minute mark when Brazilian player Fernando converted a penalty kick for Santa Clara. Benfica responded in the second half through Vangelis Pavlidis, who scored the equalizer at the 62-minute mark to claim the 200th goal of his professional career. Just six minutes later, Argentine Gianluca Prestianni netted the go-ahead goal to complete the visitors’ 2-1 comeback.
Tensions escalated near the 90-minute mark. Jhon Durán received a yellow card for striking Emanuel Monteiro with his arm, after which Romão pushed the Colombian forward and also received a booking. Following the final whistle, the confrontation intensified when Luis Fernando approached Durán and exchanged sharp words. Although Durán walked away without reacting to the provocations from the Azorean players, a larger melee erupted involving pushing and shoving from both benches.
Referee Issues Five Red Cards After Incidents
Referee Cláudio Pereira issued five red cards in total following the incidents. The ejections included Welinton Torrão and Pedro Pacheco of Santa Clara, along with Jhon Durán, assistant coach Gonçalo Sousa, and director for professional football Mário Branco from Benfica. Tiago Pinto, assistant coach for Santa Clara, and player Fernando also received red cards.
Player Fernando minimized the altercation in his post-match comments to Sport TV, stating that it was simply part of the game and that he did not see the red card coming from the referee. In contrast, Benfica coach Marco Silva offered a much sharper defense of his player. “Show all the images and let’s see what Durán did,” Silva told reporters, adding that he believed his player’s account and hoped that anyone issuing a red card for nothing would have the courage to rescind it.
Frequently Asked Questions About the São Miguel Incident
What was the final score of the Santa Clara versus Benfica match?
Benfica won the encounter 2-1 after erasing a first-half deficit with goals from Vangelis Pavlidis and Gianluca Prestianni on October 26, 2026.
Who received the red cards from referee Cláudio Pereira?
The referee issued red cards to Welinton Torrão, Pedro Pacheco, Luís Fernando, and assistant coach Tiago Pinto from Santa Clara, alongside Jhon Durán, Gonçalo Sousa, and Mário Branco from Benfica.
Where did the match take place?
The fixture was played at Estádio São Miguel on the island of São Miguel in the Azores.
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