Benfica strengthened their chances of reaching the knockout playoff stage of the Champions League after overcoming Napoli, earning back-to-back triumphs in the competition.
Jose Mourinho’s squad had opened the league phase with four consecutive setbacks, yet the group responded with renewed resilience, following their success in Amsterdam by defeating the Italian title holders in Lisbon.
The home team nearly earned an early breakthrough when Franjo Ivanovic’s attempt was pushed away by Vanja Milinkovic-Savic before Fredrik Aursnes sent the follow-up effort off target moments later.
Their persistence soon paid off. After Napoli failed to deal with a delivery into their box, Richard Rios guided the loose ball into the net, putting Benfica ahead midway through the first half.
Second-half surge extends advantage
Rios remained central to Benfica’s attacking rhythm after the interval, delivering a driven pass from the right, which Leandro Barreiro met at the near post with a deft finish to double the hosts’ lead.
Napoli attempted to shift momentum by creating a series of openings, searching for a lifeline that never came.
One of their clearer chances fell to Scott McTominay, who nodded wide following a corner, shortly after Anatoliy Trubin had kept out David Neres.
The Portuguese outfit, who had advanced through two qualifying rounds to reach the league phase, managed the remainder of the contest efficiently and preserved their clean sheet.
Play-off race tightens as final fixtures approach
The outcome places Napoli in 23rd position in the 36-team standings with seven points, while two-time European winners Benfica sit 25th on six.
Clubs ranked from ninth to 24th will progress to the two-match knockout play-off, leaving both sides still requiring additional results to secure advancement.
Napoli’s closing fixtures come against Copenhagen away on 20 January and Chelsea at home on 28 January.
Benfica conclude their schedule with a visit to Juventus on 21 January, followed by a home meeting with Real Madrid a week later.
