Benfica took a 2-0 lead in Greece on Tuesday, losing 3-2 to Olympiacos in the opening leg of the CEV Challenge Cup Women’s 32-finals at the Melina Merkouri Rentis venue in Piraeus, as reported by A Bola. After winning the first two sets, the Portuguese side suffered a comeback from the hosts that forced a decisive fifth set on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, in a match of the CEV Challenge Cup Women.
Early Setbacks in Piraeus
The visiting side struggled in the opening exchanges, losing the first set 16-25 before dropping the second frame 23-25, giving the Greek hosts a 2-0 aggregate advantage. Mayara Barcelos da Silva led the attacking efforts for the Lisbon club with 25 points, while Beatriz Patrícia da Graça Santos added 18 points, according to reporting.
,autocrop(1200:630) "Photo: A Bola")
Despite the early deficit, Olympiacos adjusted their block and relied heavily on opposite hitter Taylor Bannister to alter the momentum of the match. The hosts controlled the third set at 25-15 and edged a closely contested fourth set 25-22 before taking it 25-22. In the deciding fifth set, the Greek team maintained its offensive intensity to close out the frame 15-10, sealing the 3-2 comeback victory.
Henrique Furtado Credits Olympiacos Tactical Adaptations
Following the defeat, Benfica head coach Henrique Furtado pointed to the tactical adjustments made by the opposition and the difficulty of containing their primary attacker. Furtado noted that while his team started with a very high level of service and attack, the opponent adapted successfully and found inspiration through their opposite hitter. Bom, foi um jogo de alto nível entre duas equipas que tentaram impor o seu sistema de jogo durante todo o tempo
, stated Henrique Furtado, adding that a equipa do Olympiacos foi preparada para vencer este tipo de competição, e a nossa equipa está a lutar muito para surpreendê-las
.
Qualification Path for the Second Leg
With the 3-2 result, Olympiacos holds the narrow advantage heading into the return fixture, but the tie remains entirely open. As noted, Benfica can secure qualification in the second leg by winning 3-0 or 3-1, whereas a 3-2 victory in Lisbon would force a golden set to determine which team advances in the CEV Challenge Cup.
Before European duties resume, Benfica returns to domestic competition on Sunday, November 1, 2026, traveling to face Leixões for the fourth round of the first phase of the Campeonato Nacional at 16:00 local time. The decisive second leg against Olympiacos is scheduled for November 4 at 20:45 at pavilhão n.º 2 da Luz in Lisboa, following a domestic campaign where the Lisbon club entered European play undefeated with a 3/3 record after previously defeating Braga 3-0.
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