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Primeira LigaPrimeira Liga
19:45
Mon 26 Oct

Santa Clara vs Benfica prediction

Follow Santa ClaraFollow BenficaFollow this match
Round
Regular Season - 9
Venue
Estádio de São Miguel, Ponta Delgada
Referee
Claudio Pereira

Published by the BetGenius Editorial Desk · Editorial policy

Form

Recent form

Santa Clara
61Average

Last 5 matches · 3W-1D-1L · +5 goal difference

Benfica
84Excellent

Last 5 matches · 4W-0D-1L · +8 goal difference

Our call

Our verdict

Total Goals
Over 2.5 Goals

BetGenius backs Over 2.5 Goals (Total Goals) at 70% confidence — a solid call. Total goals: Over 2.5 Goals.

70%
Confidence
Solid
Preview

Match preview

Fourth-placed Santa Clara welcome second-placed Benfica to the Azores in a clash between two of the Primeira Liga's most in-form sides. The hosts have enjoyed an unbeaten start to their league campaign with five wins and three draws from eight fixtures, gathering 18 points. Backed by the scoring form of Gonçalo Paciência, who has five league goals to his name, Santa Clara have scored seven times across four home fixtures while conceding only twice.

Benfica travel with an explosive attacking record that has powered them to 19 points through eight matches. The Lisbon giants have found the net 24 times in the league, including 15 goals in just four away games. Spearheaded by Vangelis Pavlidis with eight goals and three assists, along with Gianluca Prestianni contributing five goals, Benfica have consistently put pressure on opposing defences home and away.

While Santa Clara boast a sturdy domestic defensive record with five clean sheets in eight league outings, Benfica's formidable forward line has yet to be kept scoreless in any league match this term. Historic encounters also heavily lean towards open contests, with Benfica taking nine victories from their last ten meetings against Santa Clara and consistently driving high goal tallies.

Analysis

Key factors

  1. Benfica have scored 24 goals in eight league matches, including 15 goals across four away fixtures.
  2. Eight of the last ten head-to-head encounters between Santa Clara and Benfica have produced over 2.5 goals.
  3. Vangelis Pavlidis leads Benfica's attack with eight goals and three assists in league play.
  4. Santa Clara have scored seven goals in four home league matches, led by Gonçalo Paciência with five goals.
  5. Benfica have not failed to score in any Primeira Liga fixture so far this season.
Availability

Team news

Santa Clara

Team news unavailable for this fixture.

Benfica

  • D. BanjaquiMuscle Injury
  • E. BarrenecheaInjury
  • J. KaminskiMuscle Injury
  • L. BarreiroInactive
  • J. DuranInactive
  • D. FerreiraInactive
Numbers

Statistical comparison

Santa Clara at homeBenfica away
4
Played
4
2-2-0
W-D-L
3-0-1
1.8
Scored /game
3.8
0.5
Conceded /game
0.8
—
Clean sheets
—
—
Failed to score
—
40%
BTTS (last 5)
60%
60%
Over 2.5 (last 5)
60%

Combined scoring rate: 5.6 goals per game (Santa Clara at home plus Benfica away).

Players

Key players this season

Santa Clara

  • Gonçalo Paciência5G

Benfica

  • V. Pavlidis8G · 3A
  • G. Prestianni5G · 3A

League scoring and assist totals for this season — not a predicted lineup. Availability is only shown where team news names the same player.

Table

Table context

Full table →
#TeamPGDPts
1FC PortoPromotion - Champions League (League phase)9+1727
2BenficaPromotion - Champions League (League phase)8+1719
3Sporting CPPromotion - Champions League (Qualification)8+1118
4Santa ClaraPromotion - Europa League (Qualification)8+818
5AroucaPromotion - Conference League (Qualification)9+517
6Academico Viseu8+114
7GIL Vicente9+114
History

Head-to-head

Full record →
0
Santa Clara
1
Draws
9
Benfica

Benfica have won 9 of the last 10 meetings, averaging 3.1 goals a game, 80% went over 2.5.

  • 2026-02-13Santa Clara1-2Benfica
  • 2025-09-12Benfica1-1Santa Clara
  • 2025-02-15Santa Clara0-1Benfica
  • 2024-10-30Benfica3-0Santa Clara
  • 2024-09-14Benfica4-1Santa Clara
BetGenius

Our record in Primeira Liga

71%53 won from 75 settled predictions

Settled results only — every published pick is recorded win or lose. Full track record →

Based on at least 20 settled predictions.
Predictions

2 published markets

Goals
Total Goals
Over 2.5 Goals
70%
Confidence

Benfica have demonstrated exceptional firepower this season, averaging 3.0 goals per match overall and 3.75 goals per game on their league travels. Santa Clara have been reliable in front of goal at home, averaging 1.75 goals per game with Gonçalo Paciência leading the line, and have failed to score in only one league outing all season. Furthermore, the head-to-head history strongly supports three or more goals, with 80 percent of the last ten meetings between these clubs producing over 2.5 goals and averaging 3.1 goals per fixture. While Santa Clara's defence has conceded just four league goals, Benfica's potent attack featuring Pavlidis and Prestianni creates enough high-quality chances to push this match beyond the two-goal threshold.

Combo Bet
Both Teams to Score
Yes
66%
Confidence

Benfica have scored in all eight of their Primeira Liga fixtures this season, averaging three goals per game overall and nearly four goals per away match. Santa Clara have also been consistent in front of goal, failing to score in just one league match and led by striker Gonçalo Paciência with five goals. With Benfica conceding in three of their four away league outings and Santa Clara finding the net in three of four home matches, both teams have reliable routes to goal.

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Published October 25, 2026. Form, team news and table context refresh automatically.