SOCCER: Goalkeeper scores at death to keep Benfica in Champions League with 4-2 win over Real Madrid

Lisbon – Benfica Pull Off Stunning Last-Minute Victory Over Real Madrid. In a dramatic Champions League showdown on Wednesday, Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored an astonishing 98th-minute header to give the Portuguese side a 4-2 win over Real Madrid, keeping their hopes alive and denying the Spanish giants an automatic spot in the last 16.

The match looked over for Benfica, who were set to be eliminated despite leading 3-2, until Trubin surged forward for a free kick and scored the decisive goal to send his team into the playoff round on goal difference. The Stadium of Light erupted as players, fans, and charismatic coach Jose Mourinho – a former Real Madrid manager – celebrated wildly.

Real Madrid had hoped to finish in the top eight and qualify directly for the last 16, but their 15 points from eight games fell short. The match ended with the Spaniards down to nine men after Raul Asencio and Rodrygo were sent off.

Andreas Schjelderup scored twice for Benfica, with Vangelis Pavlidis adding a penalty, while Kylian Mbappe netted both goals for Real in a thrilling, end-to-end contest. Benfica advanced at the expense of Marseille, who lost 3-0 to Club Brugge. The Belgian stadium’s giant screen prematurely congratulated both teams for advancing, only for Trubin’s late heroics to overturn the outcome.

Thrilling Finale

The closing moments highlighted the drama of the Champions League format, where a single goal can completely alter the table. Early in the match, Benfica were denied two penalty claims, and Real took the lead in the 30th minute when Asencio’s cross found Mbappe at the back post.

Benfica equalized six minutes later after Pavlidis’ precise cross allowed Schjelderup to head home. In first-half stoppage time, Benfica earned a penalty when Aurelien Tchouameni fouled Nicolas Otamendi, which Pavlidis converted. Schjelderup scored again to make it 3-1, but Mbappe responded with his 36th goal of the season to make it 3-2.

With Benfica still outside the top 24, the final free kick of the match delivered by Fredrik Aursnes was brilliantly headed in by Trubin, completing a night of unforgettable drama in Lisbon. -Reporting by Nick SaidEditing by Toby Davis and Andrew Cawthorne/Reuters