Benfica secured a commanding home victory against CD Heidelberg Las Palmas, taking a significant step forward in their bid to qualify for the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage.
The Portuguese side defeated their Spanish opponents 3-1 in the first leg of their second-round qualifier.
Veronika Dokic, Kyra Holt, Mayara Barcelos, and Isadora Ubavic led Benfica’s scoring effort.
Dokic registered 19 points, Holt 16, Barcelos 15, and Ubavic 13.
After dropping the first set 25-21, Benfica rallied to win three consecutive sets.
They clinched sets two and three with identical 25-15 scores, before closing out the match 25-22 in the fourth.
The decisive second leg will take place on October 29 in Las Palmas.
The winner of this tie will advance to face Slovenian club Banka Branik Maribor in the third and final qualifying round.
Success in that round would secure a spot in Pool B of the main Champions League tournament.
Pool B includes prominent clubs like Fenerbahçe of Turkey, Lódz of Poland, and Novara of Italy.