Benfica Survive Frosty Chaves Night as Pavlidis Hits Decisive Double

A chilly Trás-os-Montes sunset produced an oddly tranquil cup tie, yet Benfica supporters returned south with exactly what they wanted: another step toward Jamor and a fresh reminder that their new No.14 is already living up to the hype. The Lisbon giants out-classed Desportivo de Chaves 2-0, Vangelis Pavlidis netting both goals and, in doing so, validating José Mourinho’s choice to start him in a stadium where the club had stumbled twice in the past decade. Benfica now await a November trip to either Atlético or Felgueiras in the fourth round of the Taça de Portugal.

Early dominance in Trás-os-Montes

Benfica’s intent was obvious from the opening whistle as their high press, quick transitions, and relentless possession play pinned Chaves inside their own half. The breakthrough arrived inside eight minutes when João Neves slipped a clever diagonal pass between full-back and centre-half. Pavlidis ghosted behind the line, took one assured touch and drilled low past Ricardo Moura. The early strike set the rhythm; Chaves rarely ventured beyond midfield as Ángel Di María, Rafa Silva and Florentino Luís recycled the ball with calm authority.

Pavlidis rewriting the narrative

For Benfica fans the match will be remembered less for the result than for the striker’s personal milestone. The 26-year-old Greek arrived from AZ Alkmaar in July 2024, initially enduring what he later called a “slow burn” adaptation. That phase feels distant now. Friday’s brace means Pavlidis has 32 goals in all competitions since touching down at Humberto Delgado Airport, a tally that already eclipses the first-season outputs of former icons Óscar Cardozo and Jonas. Beyond finishing, Mourinho praised his “defensive hunger”, noting that the forward regained possession eight times—more than any other attacker on the pitch.

Mourinho’s evolving chessboard

The cup fixture allowed Mourinho to experiment, yet he resisted the temptation to rotate heavily. António Silva and Nicolás Otamendi anchored the back line, while 19-year-old Tomás Araújo watched from the bench, evidence of the manager’s insistence on experience in knockout football. In midfield, Neves operated as a pseudo-regista, freeing Orkun Kökçü to burst into half-spaces. “We controlled everything except the temperature,” Mourinho joked afterward, referencing the 7 °C kick-off. The Portuguese coach has now guided Benfica to eight consecutive clean sheets in domestic cups, underscoring his reputation for tournament pragmatism.

What the November draw means

The Federação’s September draw paired Benfica with the winner of Atlético-Felgueiras, both Liga 3 sides with modest budgets but fervent local followings. The match, scheduled for 22 or 23 November, will be played away under competition rules that oblige top-flight teams to travel until the quarter-finals. A trip to Lisbon’s Estádio da Tapadinha would revive a classic neighbourhood rivalry, whereas a journey to Felgueiras would test players on one of Portugal’s tightest natural-grass surfaces. Either way, Benfica will again confront the cup’s romantic side, with lower-division crowds, compact terraces and the ever-present risk of a giant-killing.

Why cup nights still matter in Portugal

For neutrals, the Taça de Portugal can feel like a sideshow next to the UEFA Champions League. Yet domestically the trophy carries weight: Benfica have lifted it 26 times, Porto 19, Sporting 17. Hoisting the cup at Jamor remains a symbolic rite of passage for any squad aiming to etch its name in club folklore. With the league’s television kickoff slots increasingly exported to international audiences, these provincial fixtures offer local supporters a rare chance to see Di María, Musa, or Trubin up close. Friday’s 6 661 spectators at the Estádio Municipal Eng.º Manuel Branco Teixeira embodied that appeal, greeting every Chaves counterattack with the same roar they would afford a goal against Manchester City.

The bigger picture for Benfica’s season

The win keeps Mourinho’s side on course for a potential domestic treble—league, cup and League Cup—a feat Benfica last achieved in 2014. Pavlidis’ form alleviates concerns over the fitness of Arthur Cabral, currently sidelined with a thigh strain. More importantly, the squad’s depth appears synchronized at precisely the right moment: a Champions League group decider with Bayern looms in 11 days, and Mourinho hinted that he will “need every ounce of muscle and every spark of creativity” before the winter break. For now, though, Benfica fans can savour a crisp October evening where Greek efficiency, seasoned management and old-fashioned cup magic converged to keep the dream alive.