· 2 min readIn this St. Gallen vs Benfica match, I analyse the key tactical moments, individual performances and turning points of the game.
The context was never ideal, but Benfica stepped onto the pitch with a status that needed no discussion. Clear favourites, even with absentees and at this early stage of the season. The problem was that the match quickly stopped respecting that label.
Right from the start, there was a warning. Sudakov found himself in the box with space and the goalkeeper almost out of the equation, but his effort was blocked. It was the kind of chance that could have settled everything. It did not.
St. Gallen responded with intensity. High defensive lines, constant pressure, a side with no fear of taking risks. And that started to cause problems. Benfica had more of the ball, but did not always know what to do with it. They lacked fluency and connection between the different areas of the pitch.
As the minutes passed, things started to feel strange. St. Gallen were not just competing, they actually looked more comfortable. They won the ball high up the pitch, came out on top in duels and forced Benfica to play under constant pressure. It was unexpected, but it was real.
In the 36th minute came the first major sign that something was wrong. A perfect cross found Witzig completely unmarked inside the six-yard box. Somehow, he lifted his finish over the bar. It was harder to miss than to score.
But the goal was coming. And it arrived moments later.
In the 37th minute, St. Gallen won the ball high up the pitch with three players pressing. The loose ball fell to Baldé on the left. He drove into the area and struck unexpectedly, with power and precision. Trubin was caught by surprise, reacted too late and the ball flew in. A goal created by pressure and bravery. 1-0.
It could have been worse. Before half-time, another counter-attack saw Baldé race through one-on-one, but Trubin produced a fine save. Benfica looked completely uncomfortable, lost in the match.
Football has a way of changing things. Just when everything seemed to be going one way, Benfica found a moment of quality.
In the 44th minute, Pavlidis received the ball, held it up and waited for the perfect moment. Rafa burst into space, collected the pass and finished with class beyond Ati-Zigi. A simple goal, but brilliantly executed. 1-1.
It was level at the break, but anyone who had watched the match knew the scoreline was misleading.
The second half brought a change… but not a complete one. St. Gallen naturally dropped their intensity slightly, allowing Benfica to enjoy more possession in advanced areas. Even so, creativity was still missing.
Sudakov tried to unlock the game by cutting inside and shooting, but Ati-Zigi was equal to it. It was another moment of individual quality rather than collective play.
The match entered a calmer phase, less chaotic than before. Benfica looked more stable, but never truly dominant. That kept St. Gallen believing.
In the 80th minute, a cross to the far post found Gaal, who rose with surprising ease and headed into the back of the net. 2-1. A historic moment.
Until the final whistle, Benfica pushed forward. More through determination than ideas. Crosses, long balls and a sense of desperation. St. Gallen stood firm, compact and disciplined. When the referee ended the match, one feeling remained: this was no accident.
Post-match
A result that exposes far more than a single performance. Benfica had greater individual quality, but looked disconnected, lacked intensity and struggled badly against pressure. St. Gallen were the exact opposite: organised, aggressive and fully committed from start to finish. A deserved victory.
