Omonia suffers first Europa League defeat against Benfica

Omonia Nicosia faced its first defeat in the Europa League League Phase, losing 4-1 to Benfica at the GSP Stadium in Cyprus on October 22, 2026. The match saw Benfica take an early lead in the 14th minute through an own goal by Nego. Andronikos Kakoullis leveled the score for Omonia in the 42nd minute with a header following a setup by Montnor. With this goal, Kakoullis reached 11 European goals for the club, equalling the historical record held by Rainer Rauffmann and Yuli Semedo.

In the second half, Benfica regained control as Vangelis Pavlidis scored in the 49th minute. Pavlidis, who did not celebrate his goal out of respect for the Cypriot fans, was later joined on the scoresheet by Aursnes and Prestianni. Following this loss, Omonia remains with six points after three rounds, having previously secured victories against Celta and Celje. Omonia’s manager, Henning Berg, noted that defensive lapses in the second half were the decisive factor in the defeat. The club is scheduled to play its next European fixture against NEC Nijmegen on November 5, 2026.