Barcelona secured a place in the Champions League last 16 with a dramatic 5-4 victory over Benfica in a pulsating encounter at Estádio da Luz. The Catalans twice fought back from two-goal deficits, capped by a last-gasp winner from Raphinha deep into stoppage time.
Match Summary: A Nine-Goal Spectacle
First Half: Benfica’s Early Dominance
- Pavlidis Hat-Trick: Benfica surged ahead with a 30-minute hat-trick from Vangelis Pavlidis, capitalizing on two Wojciech Szczesny mistakes.
- Lewandowski’s Penalty: Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski scored from the spot after Tomas Araujo fouled Alejandro Balde, reducing the deficit to 3-1 at halftime.
Second Half: Barca’s Resilience and Drama
- Raphinha’s Fortunate Goal: A bizarre deflection off Raphinha brought Barca back into contention at 3-2.
- Araujo’s Own Goal: Ronald Araujo’s miscue restored Benfica’s two-goal cushion at 4-2.
- Lewandowski Strikes Again: Another penalty from Lewandowski set up a tense finale.
- Late Heroics: Eric Garcia’s header leveled the match before Raphinha slotted home the dramatic winner in the 96th minute.
Key Moments and Turning Points
- Szczesny’s Errors: The Polish goalkeeper, starting after a brief return from retirement, misjudged two crucial moments that led to Pavlidis’ first and second goals.
- Raphinha’s Unusual Goal: A clearance from Benfica’s keeper Trubin deflected off Raphinha’s head and looped into the net, sparking Barca’s comeback.
- Benfica’s Missed Opportunities: The hosts squandered chances, including Fredrik Aursnes hesitating in a one-on-one, which could have sealed the game.
- Late Penalty Drama: Szczesny redeemed himself slightly with a critical save from Angel Di Maria, moments before Raphinha’s decisive strike.
Post-Match Reactions
- Raphinha: “It’s nights like these that define us. We never gave up, and the reward is our qualification.”
- Benfica Coach: “We let the game slip away. To score four goals and lose is tough to accept.”
- Barcelona Coach Xavi: “The team showed incredible character. These are the moments that make this competition special.”
What This Means for Both Teams
- Barcelona: Secured qualification with an 18-point tally, solidifying their status as group leaders.
- Benfica: Their hopes now rest on other results to avoid elimination or face a play-off for progression.
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