Benfica opened their 2026/27 Europa League campaign with a 2–0 victory over Milan at San Siro, with Dodi Lukébakio and Jakub Kamiński scoring in each half.
🔥 Benfica Make History at San Siro
AC Milan's return to European competition began with disappointment as Benfica defeated the Rossoneri 2–0 at San Siro in the opening match of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League league phase.
The Portuguese visitors produced a disciplined and efficient performance, scoring once in each half and becoming the first team to defeat Milan in an official meeting between the two clubs. Benfica's official report described the result as a historic victory, while UEFA's head-to-head record now lists Benfica with one win from the clubs' competitive meetings.
Dodi Lukébakio opened the scoring after 16 minutes before Jakub Kamiński doubled Benfica's advantage shortly after the restart.
Milan enjoyed more possession and generated plenty of attacking territory, but Benfica's defensive organization and Anatoliy Trubin's outstanding goalkeeping prevented the hosts from finding a way back into the contest.
🧨 Lukébakio Delivers the First Blow
Milan began the match looking to impose themselves at home, but Benfica quickly demonstrated that they were not interested in simply defending.
The visitors created the first major danger and eventually broke the deadlock in the 16th minute.
A rapid Benfica move ended with Dodi Lukébakio cutting inside from the left before firing a low left-footed finish into the bottom corner.
The goal gave Benfica exactly what they wanted: an early lead that allowed them to defend with greater confidence while threatening Milan in transition.
Milan responded with possession and pressure, but the Rossoneri struggled to create the kind of clear-cut opportunities required to seriously test Trubin.
Benfica also hit the woodwork during the first half, underlining the danger they posed whenever they moved forward.
🎯 Kamiński Doubles the Advantage
Milan needed a strong start to the second half.
Instead, Benfica delivered another decisive blow.
In the 53rd minute, Jakub Kamiński completed a move that began with a pass from Georgiy Sudakov. After his initial effort was blocked, Benfica retained possession and worked the ball toward Souffian El Karouani on the left.
El Karouani delivered into the area, where Kamiński remained alert.
The Polish attacker met the ball with a powerful first-time finish that flew beyond Mike Maignan and into the roof of the net.
It was Kamiński's first goal for Benfica, and it gave the visitors a 2–0 lead at a crucial moment.
🧤 Trubin Keeps Milan at Bay
The second goal forced Milan to take greater risks.
Rúben Amorim reacted with attacking substitutions, including Christian Pulisic and Mario Gila at half-time, followed by Alexis Saelemaekers and Diego Moreira.
Milan began to create more pressure.
Pulisic released Gonçalo Ramos with a dangerous pass, but Trubin reacted quickly to prevent the forward from getting a clean finish.
Moments later, Pulisic himself fired towards goal, only for Trubin to make another important save.
The Benfica goalkeeper was particularly impressive in the closing stages. In the 81st minute, Pulisic turned sharply before unleashing a powerful effort, but Trubin produced another excellent stop to preserve his clean sheet.
His performance ultimately became one of the defining elements of the match.
🧠 Tactical Analysis
Benfica: Efficiency, Structure and Transition Threat
Benfica's approach was based on a combination of compact defending and rapid attacking transitions.
Rather than attempting to dominate possession, the visitors were comfortable allowing Milan to have the ball while protecting the central areas.
When possession was recovered, Benfica looked immediately towards the wide areas, where Lukébakio and Kamiński could attack space.
That approach produced both goals.
The defensive structure also made life difficult for Milan inside the penalty area, forcing the hosts to rely heavily on crosses and shots from less dangerous positions.
Milan: Territory Without Enough End Product
Milan controlled much of the ball and finished with 60% possession and 17 shots, compared with Benfica's 40% possession and 11 attempts.
However, the statistics highlighted the central problem: Milan's territorial advantage did not translate into decisive chances.
Both teams finished with four shots on target, while Milan registered no big chances according to Sofascore's match data.
The Rossoneri therefore had plenty of attacking volume but lacked the final pass, movement or finishing required to break Benfica's resistance.
⭐ Player of the Match: Anatoliy Trubin
Although Lukébakio and Kamiński scored the goals, Anatoliy Trubin was arguably the key figure behind Benfica's clean sheet.
Sofascore awarded the Benfica goalkeeper an 8.7 rating, the highest of the match. He made four saves, including two classified as big saves, and recorded 0.76 goals prevented.
His composure under pressure became increasingly important as Milan pushed forward in the second half.
📊 Match Statistics
| Statistic | Milan | Benfica |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 0 | 2 |
| Possession | 60% | 40% |
| Shots | 17 | 11 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 4 |
| Expected Goals | 0.99 | 0.62 |
| Corners | 10 | 1 |
| Big Chances | 0 | 1 |
The numbers tell an interesting story: Milan controlled possession and produced considerably more attacking territory, but Benfica were more efficient with the opportunities they created.
⏱️ Goals Timeline
16' – 0–1 Dodi Lukébakio
Lukébakio cuts inside from the left and finishes into the bottom corner.
53' – 0–2 Jakub Kamiński
After Benfica retain possession, El Karouani delivers from the left and Kamiński finishes emphatically.
🏆 What the Result Means
For Benfica, the victory represents an important European statement and a historic result at San Siro. The Portuguese club began the Europa League league phase with three points and a clean sheet against one of the competition's most recognizable names.
For Milan, the defeat represents a frustrating opening to their European campaign.
The Rossoneri created enough territorial pressure to suggest that the match could have developed differently, but Benfica's defensive discipline and Trubin's saves prevented Milan from turning possession into goals.
The defeat was also Milan's first loss of the season at that point, after an unbeaten opening run domestically.
🔚 Final Thoughts
Milan's European return ended in disappointment, while Benfica left San Siro with a memorable 2–0 victory.
Lukébakio's early strike gave the visitors confidence, and Kamiński's second-half finish put the result firmly in Benfica's hands. From there, Trubin and a disciplined defensive unit absorbed Milan's pressure and protected the clean sheet.
For Milan, the challenge now is to turn their considerable possession and attacking territory into more decisive chances.
For Benfica, this was the kind of away performance that can provide an excellent foundation for the rest of the Europa League campaign.
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