Pavlidis penalty gives Benfica 1-0 win over Alverca and sixth straight victory

A goalless first half and a disallowed Alverca goal

Benfica beat Alverca 1-0 on Monday, 2 November, in the 10th round of the Primeira Liga at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon. Alverca set up in a 5-4-1 block with several players close to their own area, and the hosts struggled to create clear chances before the interval. Alexander Bah's early shot was the closest Benfica came in the opening period, and Alverca goalkeeper Matheus Mendes saved it. Alverca believed they had gone ahead around the 25th minute, when Yaya Bojang finished, but the goal was ruled out for offside, by about five centimetres. Benfica went in at half-time still level at 0-0.

Echeverri's entry leads to a penalty

Marco Silva made a change at half-time, with Claudio Echeverri replacing Andreas Schjelderup. Echeverri, a player on loan from Manchester City, won a penalty only minutes after coming on. Sergi Gómez, Alverca's captain, brought him down inside the area in the 51st minute. Vangelis Pavlidis took the spot kick and struck low into the middle of the goal, while Matheus Mendes dived to his left. The goal gave Benfica the lead, and it came from a move that started with Echeverri's run into the box.

Team changes and the sixth straight win

Marco Silva changed six players from the side that beat Gil Vicente 4-1 in the Taça da Liga quarter-final earlier in the week. The result extends Benfica's unbeaten run to six consecutive wins in all competitions. Benfica have not lost since their trip to the Estádio do Dragão in September. After the match Benfica have 25 points in second place, five behind FC Porto at the top of the table. Alverca are 10th with 10 points.

Commemorative 1980/81 kit

Before kick-off Benfica presented a commemorative kit based on the one worn in the 1980/81 season, the first to carry Adidas's trefoil logo and three stripes. Benfica players wore long-sleeved versions of the shirt during the match. That season the club won the league, the Taça de Portugal and the Supertaça under coach Lajos Baróti, and went out in the semi-finals of the Cup Winners' Cup.

Timeline of the match

Alverca pressed high in their build-up, and Sérgio Ferreira's side had Chiquinho as their main threat late on. Chiquinho had several chances to equalise in the closing stages. The sequence of key moments in the match is shown below.