Benfica book spot in group stage after simple win against PAOK

The evening had started so well for PAOK, who were dominant in the early stages and deservedly took the lead through Aleksandar Prijovic, but it wasn't to last.

Benfica levelled from a corner just seven minutes later and then took the lead after a comedy of errors from PAOK goalkeeper Alexandros Paschalakis gifted them a penalty, which Eduardo Salvio scored.

Pizzi made it 3-1 shortly before the break and if that didn’t but the tie beyond PAOK’s reach a second penalty for the visitors after the restart, again scored by Salvio, did the trick.

Leo Matos picked up a second yellow card late on to compound the misery for the Greeks.

Yet another goalkeeping horror show. From Loris Karius’ blunders in last season’s Champions League final to any number of errors made at the World Cup, football hasn’t been short of howlers recently but Paschalakis effort is up there with the worst of them. He got his priorities comically wrong in going to such an effort to keep the ball in - a corner would by no means have the end of the world - and then compounded matters by bringing Cervi down when the Argentine was isolated and running away from goal. What once looked like being a historic night for PAOK will instead by remembered for his stupidity.

Franco Cervi (Benfica). He was a livewire and pivotal in two of the goals, first winning the penalty by anticipating the goalkeeper might be in trouble and then keeping his composure to tee up Pizzi.

PAOK: Paschalakis 4, Matos 4, Varela 5, Crespo 6, Vieirinha 6, Canas, Mauricio 6, Limnios 6, Pelkas 7, El Kaddouri 5, Prijovic 6. Subs: Warda 5, Shakhov 5, Akpom n/a.

Benfica: Vlachodimos 6, Almeida 6, Dias 6, Jardel 7, Grimaldo 7, Fejsa 6, Gedson 6, Salvio 6, Cervi 7, Pizzi 6, Seferovic 6. Subs: Semedo 5, Zivkovic 5, Felix n/a.

13’ - GOAL! PAOK 1-0 Benfica (Prijovic). A very clever free-kick beats Benfica's offside trap and when the ball arrives at Mauricio's feet he squares for Prijovic to tap home from close range. That's a lovely goal.

20’ - GOAL! PAOK 1-1 Benfica (Jardel). It's all square! Pizzi sends a corner deep into the box and Jardel connects with a powerful header back across the goalkeeper and into the net.

24’ - PENALTY! Utter madness! In trying to gather an overhit header back, Paschalakis keeps the ball in play but slides out himself, allowing Cervi player to nip in and win possession, and the fluster goalkeeper soon brings him down in his attempts to win back the ball.

26’ - GOAL! PAOK 1-2 Benfica (Salvio pen). Salvio shoots to the goalkeeper's right and it's in off the post! PAOK have it all to do now.

39’ - GOAL! PAOK 1-3 Benfica (Pizzi). Cervi gets to the byline and cuts the ball back to Pizzi at the top of the box, who takes a touch and then fires into the bottom corner.

48’ - PENALTY! Varela wrestles Jardel to the ground at a corner and the referee points to the spot.

49’ - GOAL! PAOK 1-4 Benfica (Salvio pen). Salvio goes down the middle and the goalkeeper gets a touch on the ball with his boot, but it's not enough.

77' - RED CARD! Matos barges into Cervi - needlessly and well before the ball had arrived - and picks up his second yellow. That was stupid, but it had been coming.

Benfica have now qualified for the group stage nine years running.

Pizzi has six goals in his last six games.

Benfica hadn’t scored four goals in a Champions League match since 2010, when they edge Lyon 4-3 in a thriller.

PAOK have now won only one of their seven meetings with Benfica.