for the semi-finals, benfica were drawn against fellow primeira liga side paços de ferreira. the semi-finals were contested over two legs with the first leg taking place at paços de ferreira's estádio da mata real. the first half of the first leg saw benfica dominate possession but not break threw paços de ferreira's defense, but the second half proved to be different. benfica broke the dead lock on 58 minutes, after eduardo salvio obtained the ball on the right hand side and took on paços' vitorino antunes, where salvio crossed the ball to an unmarked lima to tap in benfica's first goal of the game. benfica's second came on 75 minutes threw substitute ola john. the goal arose after rodrigo's shot was saved by cássio, and john followed up to tap in benfica's second to take a two-goal advantage back to estádio da luz. benfica's first leg win had marked five consecutive cup games where benfica had kept clean sheets. the return leg in lisbon was played in mid april, over two months after the first leg. the game saw the home side not take many risks, whilst the away side opted for an attacking approach in order to reduce the two goal deficit. after a quite first half, benfica broke the deadlock in the second half near the hour mark through óscar cardozo to score his sixth overall goal of the competition. paços would tie the game ten minutes from the end threw cícero. the game would end tied, and benfica would win the tie 3–1 on aggregate to progress to the final for the first time since 2005.