Benfica vs Flamengo

Flamengo started aggressively, pressing high and forcing Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin into action inside the first five minutes. Bruno Henrique fired low from the edge of the box, and Samuel Lino was denied one-on-one after being released by Erick Pulgar — both saved by Trubin (UOL Esporte).

The pressure built through the first half. Pedro, deployed as the central striker, produced a backheel nutmeg on his marker in the 30th minute and forced another Trubin save. Benfica, still early in their pre-season build under Marco Silva, struggled to build clean transitions (Flamengo official site).

The breakthrough came in the 45th minute. Emerson Royal surged down the right flank and delivered a low cross that Samuel Lino met ahead of the defence to slot home — his eighth goal of the season and 12th for Flamengo in 66 appearances (Flamengo official site).

Benfica struck back immediately. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Bruno Henrique's sliding challenge inside the area brought down Alexander Bah, and the referee pointed to the spot. Pavlidis converted the penalty to make it 1-1 at the break.

Flamengo regained control in the second half. Pedro lifted a lobbed pass to Samuel Lino, who volleyed narrowly wide. The decisive moment arrived in the 68th minute. Wallace Yan, introduced just two minutes earlier for Pedro, received a pass from Samuel Lino inside the area and scored with his first touch — a powerful finish that restored Flamengo's lead (flamengo.com.br).

Rossi made a crucial double save in the 81st minute, denying Franjo Ivanovic and then the rebound from Gianluca Prestianni, who later hit the crossbar in stoppage time. Wallace Yan had a chance to add a third when he raced through one-on-one with Trubin, but his chip attempt was saved.

Leonardo Jardim's substitution of Wallace Yan for Pedro in the 66th minute changed the game. The 22-year-old forward scored with his first touch — a composed finish after a flowing move that started from goalkeeper Rossi and involved Johnny, João Victor, Emerson Royal and Samuel Lino (Flamengo official site). The goal came so quickly after his introduction that Benfica's defence had no time to adjust their marking.

Wallace Yan celebrated by mimicking Vinícius Júnior's signature dance, an homage to the former Flamengo academy star whose birthday fell the following day (UOL Esporte).

Wallace Yan (Flamengo) — Man of the Match. Two touches of the ball: one goal, one near-miss. His first-touch winner from inside the area demonstrated composure that belied his limited game time. This was his second goal in as many matches after also scoring against Lausanne-Sport on 8 July (Flamengo official site). He now has nine goals in 51 appearances for the club.

Samuel Lino (Flamengo) — A goal and an assist. The left-sided attacker was Flamengo's most dangerous offensive player, registering a game-high three shots on target and creating the winner with a precise pass to Wallace Yan. His eighth goal of the season came from a trademark late run into the box.

Emerson Royal (Flamengo) — Two key involvements in Flamengo's goals. His overlapping runs down the right caused Benfica's defence problems throughout, and his low cross for the opener was timed perfectly. He registered his sixth assist for Flamengo (Flamengo official site).

Anatoliy Trubin (Benfica) — Kept the scoreline respectable with several saves, including a first-half denial of Samuel Lino one-on-one and a late stop from Wallace Yan's chip. He could do little about either goal.

Flamengo's 10 shots on target to Benfica's 4 reflects the balance of play more accurately than possession statistics in a pre-season friendly where both sides made 16 combined substitutions. The key number is Wallace Yan's 2-minute cameo: one goal from one shot on target, his first touch of the match. That is the kind of efficiency that decides pre-season trophies.

Flamengo's five yellow cards — Johnny, Saúl, Pulgar, Bruno Henrique and Samuel Lino (UOL Esporte) — and the heated touchline exchange between Jardim and Marco Silva showed the competitive edge both sides brought to a fixture that was, nominally, a friendly. Benfica received no cards.

Flamengo finish their pre-season tour of Portugal undefeated in three matches — two wins (Lausanne-Sport 2-0, Benfica 2-1) and one draw (River Plate 2-2) — and lift the Troféu do Algarve, the 25th edition of the competition. The club now returns to Brazil to prepare for the second half of the season. Their next fixture is against Olimpia (Paraguay) on 17 July at the Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasília.

Benfica continue their 2026/27 pre-season build under Marco Silva. Their next friendly is yet to be confirmed at the time of writing.

Flamengo were without nine players who featured in the 2026 World Cup — Alex Sandro, Danilo, Léo Pereira and Lucas Paquetá (Brazil); Arrascaeta, De la Cruz and Varela (Uruguay); Carrascal (Colombia) and Plata (Ecuador) — meaning the XI that started in Faro may not represent the full-strength side for the second half of the season (UOL Esporte).

A deserved win for Flamengo, who were sharper, more intense and better organised than a Benfica side still finding their rhythm. Wallace Yan's instant impact off the bench provided the match's defining moment and a reminder of the depth Leonardo Jardim has at his disposal. For Benfica, the defensive vulnerability on transitions will be a concern for Marco Silva to address before the competitive season begins.