The first half saw Benfica take an early lead through Kerem Aktürkoglu, who finished a move set up by Vangelis Pavlidis. An own goal by Fenerbahce’s Archie Brown doubled Benfica’s advantage. Fenerbahce responded before the break, with Irfan Can Kahveci scoring from distance after being set up by Fred, reducing the deficit to 2-1 at halftime.
After the interval, Fenerbahce equalized through Youssef En-Nesyri, who finished a left-footed strike following an assist from Sebastian Szymanski. The match remained balanced with both teams creating chances. Benfica reclaimed the lead late in the game when Henrique Araújo scored from close range after a headed pass by Nicolás Otamendi in a set-piece situation.
VAR played a role, with a potential second goal from Araújo ruled out for offside. Both sides had further opportunities: Fenerbahce hit the post through Jhon Durán, and Benfica forced several saves from Fenerbahce goalkeeper Irfan Can Egribayat. The match featured numerous fouls and set pieces, reflecting the competitive nature despite its friendly status.
The result offers positives for both clubs as they fine-tune their tactics and assess new signings. Benfica’s attacking options looked sharp, while Fenerbahce showed resilience to fight back from two goals down. Both teams will look to build on this performance in their upcoming pre-season fixtures.