9-goal epic encounter sees Barcelona quell Benfica

Barcelona twice rowed back from two goals down – and two Wojciech Szczesny errors- to grab a dramatic win at Benfica.

Barcelona staged a breathtaking comeback to defeat Benfica 5-4 in a thrilling Champions League encounter, clinching their place in the last 16 with 18 points.

The match was a rollercoaster of goals, drama, and errors that left fans on the edge of their seats.

Benfica’s Early Domination

The home side started with intensity, racing to a 2-0 lead thanks to a stunning 30-minute hat trick from Vangelis Pavlidis.

The Greek striker capitalized on two costly mistakes by Barcelona’s goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny, making his first Champions League start for the club since coming out of retirement.

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First Goal: Alvaro Carreras broke through Barcelona’s defense, delivering a perfect cross for Pavlidis to slam into the net.
Second Goal: Szczesny misjudged a long ball and collided with teammate Alejandro Balde, leaving Pavlidis to score unchallenged into an empty net.
Third Goal: Szczesny brought down Kerem Aktürkoglu in the box, and Pavlidis coolly converted the resulting penalty.

Despite Benfica’s dominance, Robert Lewandowski kept Barcelona alive with a first-half penalty after Tomas Araujo fouled Balde.

Second-Half Madness

Barcelona came out fighting in the second half, but defensive lapses and bizarre moments continued to define the match.

Raphinha’s Lucky Goal: In a comical twist, Anatoliy Trubin’s clearance hit Raphinha’s head and bounced into the net, reducing Benfica’s lead to 3-2.
Own Goal Drama: Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo sliced Andreas Schjelderup’s cross into his own net, restoring Benfica’s two-goal advantage at 4-2.

Barcelona refused to back down.

Lewandowski converted another penalty to narrow the deficit to 4-3.
Eric Garcia rose to head home an equalizer in the 89th minute, setting up a grandstand finish.

Raphinha’s Last-Minute Heroics

Deep into stoppage time, with the score locked at 4-4, Szczesny redeemed himself by denying Angel Di Maria and surviving a penalty appeal. But the reprieve was short-lived. Raphinha broke away in the dying moments, coolly slotting past Trubin to seal a sensational 5-4 victory for Barcelona.

A Dramatic Conclusion

Barcelona’s remarkable resilience showcased their championship mettle as they fought back twice from two-goal deficits.

Benfica, who started so brightly, were left wondering how they let such a commanding position slip away.

Key Stats:

Goals: Raphinha (2), Lewandowski (2), Garcia; Pavlidis (3), Ronald Araujo (OG)
Man of the Match: Raphinha – pivotal in the comeback with two goals, including the winner.
Goalkeeping Gaffes: Szczesny’s errors were critical early on, but his late save kept Barcelona in contention.

Barcelona advance as group leaders, while Benfica face an uphill battle to salvage their European campaign.