Gallen Benfica live score updates as Europa League begins
St Gallen and Benfica are locked at 0-0 in their UEFA Europa League second qualifying round first leg at Switzerland’s AFG Arena, with live score updates underway in the gallen benfica clash as Marco Silva seeks an away edge before the 30 July return in Lisbon. The Swiss hosts arrive after a strong domestic season, while the Portuguese giants open Silva’s European campaign with Benfica.
Key Takeaways
- The gallen benfica first leg is live at 0-0 at the AFG Arena in St. Gallen.
- Benfica want an away advantage before the return leg at Estádio da Luz on 30 July.
- Marco Silva is making his official European debut as Benfica coach in this tie.
- This is the first competitive meeting between St Gallen and Benfica.
- Benfica are without Leandro Barreiro, Gianluca Prestianni and Jhon Durán for the opener.
What is the live score in the Gallen Benfica match?
According to VAVEL’s live coverage, the game has begun and the score stands at St Gallen 0-0 Benfica. The fixture is Matchday 1 of the preliminary/second qualifying round at the AFG Arena.
Benfica lined up in a 4-2-3-1 with Anatoliy Trubin in goal; Samuel Bah, António Silva, Clément Lenglet and Samuel Dahl in defence; Miguel Figueiredo and Manu Silva in midfield; Rafa Silva, Georgiy Sudakov and Jakub Kaminski behind striker Vangelis Pavlidis.
St Gallen started in a 3-5-2: Ati-Zigi; Goal, Jozo Stanic and Okoroji; Vandermersch, Lukas Görtler, Lukas Daschner, Carlo Boukhalfa and Mihailo Stevanovic; Witzig and Aliou Balde. For more odd-angle sports and culture coverage, see BlasterPost’s Bizarre World hub.
Why does this Europa League first leg matter?
An away win would give Benfica a useful cushion for the return at Estádio da Luz and move them closer to the Europa League main phase. Silva has said the aim is to start competitively after an atypical pre-season shaped by an early schedule linked to the World Cup.
For St Gallen, beating Benfica would rank among the club’s biggest recent European results. The Swiss side finished second in the Swiss league, lifted the Swiss Cup, and are in a Europa League campaign that already carries historic weight at home.
The clubs have never met in official competition. St Gallen’s European highlight remains eliminating Chelsea in 2000/01, while Benfica have reached three Europa League finals without lifting the trophy.
Who is missing for Benfica against St Gallen?
Marco Silva named a 22-man squad for the tie. Midfielder Leandro Barreiro is out with a respiratory infection, left winger Gianluca Prestianni is suspended, and striker Jhon Durán was not included—OneFootball reports he is eligible only from the third round under regulations.
Squawka notes several World Cup returnees, including Fredrik Aursnes, Richard Ríos, Andreas Schjelderup and Dodi Lukébakio, were not expected to feature after extended leave. Silva still stressed Benfica’s collective strength and expected strong support from the club’s community in Switzerland.
Italian official Luca Pairetto is the referee, with Daniele Doveri on VAR. Stay with live updates for any change to the gallen benfica scoreline as the first leg unfolds.