Jose Mourinho’s Benfica needed one goal to move into the Champions League play-offs and up stepped their goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, to score a stoppage-time header
Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a miraculous stoppage-time header against Real Madrid to send Jose Mourinho’s side into the Champions League play-offs.
The Portuguese giants needed one more goal to avoid exiting the competition despite beating Real, as Marseille were clinging onto 25th place with seconds to go in Lisbon.
Already 3-2 up in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Benfica had one last chance to extend their lead over Real, who’d been reduced to nine men. Fredrik Aursnes whipped in a free-kick and there was Trubin to meet it, nodding the ball past opposite number Thibaut Courtois.
The Estadio da Luz went wild as Mourinho celebrated with a ballboy on the touchline. Real’s players couldn’t believe what they’d seen, with the shock defeat also knocking them down into the play-offs under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa.
After full-time, Courtois could be seen embracing Trubin in moment of respect. Only a few minutes earlier, the Ukrainian was actually wasting time, seemingly not realising that Benfica could go through with another goal.
Benfica’s directors were visibly furious, as they urged their team to push for a fourth. Coincidentally, Benfica will now face either Real or Inter Milan in the play-off, both two of Mourinho’s former clubs.
It was a rain-soaked night in the capital, with Real breaking the deadlock on the half-hour mark through Kylian Mbappe. But Benfica were soon level, as Andreas Schjelderup scored and gave the hosts hope.
Mourinho’s team were awarded a penalty in first-half stoppage-time which was converted by Vangelis Pavlidis. Schjelderup’s second goal extended their lead before Mbappe quickly pulled one back on 58 minutes.
Los Blancos pushed for an equaliser but couldn’t get it, as they saw two of their players sent off in the dying embers. Raul Ascencio and Rodrygo were both shown second yellow cards. [Mirror UK]
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