BARCELOS, PORTUGAL —Andreas Schjelderup's 73rd-minute strike proved decisive as Benfica claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Gil Vicente at the Estádio Cidade de Barcelos on Monday, keeping the visitors' Primeira Liga campaign firmly on track despite a spirited second-half fightback from the hosts. The match ebbed and flowed with genuine intensity, with Gil Vicente refusing to be overrun despite facing one of Portugal's elite clubs. Benfica broke through in the 35th minute when Vangelis Pavlidis finished from close range at the centre of the goal, capitalizing on a corner-kick setup by António Silva. The clinical finish rewarded the visitors' patient build-up play and their early control of the contest. The hosts emerged with renewed purpose after the interval, and their persistence paid immediate dividends. In the 51st minute, Héctor Hernández drove a right-footed effort from the centre of the box into the bottom right corner, with Santi García providing the assist. It was a well-deserved equaliser that reflected Gil Vicente's growing influence and their refusal to surrender despite the quality of their opponents. Yet Benfica's superiority ultimately prevailed. Schjelderup, who had been a persistent threat throughout the encounter, curled a left-footed effort from the left side of the box into the top left corner to restore the visitors' advantage in the 73rd minute. The Norwegian winger's decisive contribution sealed the three points before his replacement by Dodi Lukébakio nine minutes later. The statistics revealed a closely contested affair. Gil Vicente edged possession at 49.4 percent to Benfica's 50.6, while the hosts actually generated more shot attempts with 13 to Benfica's 11 and registered five shots on goal compared to the visitors' three. Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin was called upon four times, while Gil Vicente's Lucão made just one save. Both sides maintained reasonable discipline, with Gil Vicente receiving two yellow cards and Benfica three, and no red cards issued. Gil Vicente committed 16 fouls to Benfica's 12, though referee João António Ferreira Gonçalves managed the physical but fair contest without controversy. For Bruno Lage's side, the victory continues a demanding period that has included Champions League commitments, while Gil Vicente must regroup after a second consecutive league defeat, having also fallen 3-1 to Estoril just days prior. Benfica's next fixture sees them continue their European campaign, while the hosts seek to arrest their recent form when they return to league action.