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Real Madrid are the kings of the late UEFA Champions League goal, having made an art-form out of mounting comebacks and scoring clutch goals to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. But on a rollercoaster Wednesday night at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, it was Portuguese outfit SL Benfica who delivered the 15-time champs a taste of their own medicine – thanks to a goal by the goalkeeper in the 8th minute of stoppage time, sealing unlikely progress for Benfica, and relegating Madrid to the playoff round in the knockouts.
With the hosts leading 3-2 in the dying minutes but needing another goal to clinch the 24th and final qualification spot in the Champions League table, the team managed by former Madrid coach Jose Mourinho found an unlikely hero in Anatoliy Trubin. The Ukrainian goalkeeper headed up the field for a free-kick against 9-man Madrid, and found himself on the end of the delivery to thunder a header past Thibaut Courtois with the final action of the game.
Ecstasy for Benfica, frustration for Madrid
It was a goal which helped them leapfrog French team Olympique Marseille, who were tied on points and goal difference but held the tiebreaker for goals score after their own disappointing 3-0 loss to Club Brugge on the final day of the league stage. It was as dramatic a circumstance as you can imagine, and Trubin’s goal made the difference.
“For me everything is deja vu, but this is for the first time,” said Mourinho in the post-match interview with broadcasters. “We knew that he could do it. We were losing in Porto a couple of weeks ago and he went up there and almost scored, so we know the big guy is capable of this,” explained the legendary Portuguese manager.
It was equally disastrous for Madrid, with the Spanish giants continuing to suffer from a trainwreck of a season by their lofty standards. Madrid had their fate in their own hands to finish in the top eight of the league table, and therefore progress directly to the round of 16. However, this loss means they finish ninth, and will have to play an extra round of playoff fixtures that jeopardises their chance at the trophy.
Topsy-turvy night goes Benfica’s way
Madrid saw two late red cards for Raul Asencio and Rodrygo in Lisbon as tempers flared, leaving them short-staffed at the back for when Trubin headed up the field in search of Benfica’s much-needed fourth goal of the night. Madrid had already been wasteful all night despite Kylian Mbappe setting and extending a Champions League record with his 12th and 13th goals of the group stage campaign.
Earlier in the match, Norwegian winger Andreas Schjederlup scored twice on the counter-attack to give Benfica control, sandwiching Vangelis Pavlidis’ goal from the penalty spot.
On a dramatic, complicated, and ever-shifting night in the Champions League, Benfica were also helped out by two clubs Mourinho has long associations with. Late goals for Sporting Club and Chelsea against Athletic Club and Napoli respectively kept the latter two teams down on 8 points, while Mourinho’s former charge Harry Kane scored a late goal against PSV Eindhoven to allow Benfica to progress narrowly with 9.
