Benfica and Monaco Deliver Six-Goal Thriller as Portuguese Side Secures Last-16 Spot
Wow! What a game we just witnessed in Lisbon! Benfica and Monaco treated us to an absolute classic in the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-offs, with a thrilling 3-3 draw that saw Benfica progress 4-3 on aggregate. It had everything—drama, goals, lead changes, and a heart-stopping finish. Let’s break it all down.
Coming into this second leg, Benfica held a narrow 1-0 advantage from the first leg in Monaco. But as soon as the game kicked off, it was clear that the Ligue 1 side was not going down without a fight. Monaco started on the front foot, pressing high and even having a strong penalty appeal turned down. Then, in the 22nd minute, a defensive mistake changed the game—Monaco’s Wilfried Singo slipped under pressure, and Vangelis Pavlidis pounced, setting up Kerem Aktürkoğlu for the opener. Benfica were up 1-0, and it looked like they were cruising.
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But Monaco responded brilliantly. Just ten minutes later, former Liverpool man Takumi Minamino squeezed a low shot past Trubin at the near post to level things at 1-1. And just before halftime, Monaco nearly took the lead, but Breel Embolo’s close-range shot sailed over the bar.
Then came a second-half rollercoaster. Eliesse Ben Seghir put Monaco ahead with a stunning curler into the bottom corner in the 51st minute. For the first time in the tie, Monaco were in control, but their joy was short-lived. A clumsy foul from Thilo Kehrer on Fredrik Aursnes gifted Benfica a penalty, and Pavlidis coolly slotted it home to make it 2-2 in the 76th minute.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any crazier, Monaco’s substitute George Ilenikhena struck in the 81st minute to make it 3-2 on the night, leveling the tie on aggregate at 3-3. It looked like extra time was looming. But Benfica had other plans. Only three minutes later, Orkun Kökçü latched onto a pinpoint cross from Álvaro Fernández, flicking the ball past Radoslaw Majecki to bring the score to 3-3 and secure Benfica’s 4-3 aggregate win.
An incredible match, an unforgettable night, and Benfica are now through to the last 16, where they will face either Barcelona or Liverpool. This was Champions League football at its finest!
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