Benfica and Red Star Belgrade secure first-leg victories in European qualifiers

On August 20, 2026, Benfica and Red Star Belgrade achieved significant victories in their respective European qualification matches, moving closer to the next phase of competition. Benfica hosted Aarhus at the Estadio da Luz, securing a 3-1 win. Rafa Silva opened the scoring in the 2nd minute, followed by a Barreiro goal in the 31st minute. Although Jorgensen narrowed the deficit for the visitors, Vangelis Pavlidis sealed the victory with a penalty goal just before halftime. Despite Aarhus goalkeeper Hedenstad’s impressive performance, Benfica maintained dominance throughout the match.

Simultaneously, Red Star Belgrade hosted Viktoria Plzen at the Marakana stadium, finishing with a decisive 3-0 victory. Mirko Ivanic led the charge for the hosts, netting twice in the 36th and 53rd minutes. Aleksandar Katai completed the scoring in the 89th minute by converting a penalty. Both Benfica and Red Star Belgrade now carry comfortable leads into their respective return legs, putting them in strong positions to advance further in their tournament campaigns.