Super Eagles hotshot Victor Osimhen on Wednesday night scored in the 111th minute to put Turkish giants Galatasaray on the road to UEFA Champions League Round of 16 qualification, after hard-fighting 10-man Juventus had tied the game 5-5 on aggregate within 90 minutes in Turin.
Heading for a major comeback, having lost the first leg woefully 2-5 in Turkey, a determined Juve were, however, seemingly pegged back by a straight red card to Lloyd Kelly in the 49th minute at a time the Italian side were just a goal to the good at home.
Though the match eventually ended 3-2 in Juve’s favour, the scoreline was not enough to edge out Galatasaray who then progressed on 7-5 aggregate.
Juventus had been poor in the first half of the previous meeting with Galatasaray, but had they performed then as they did in the opening period of Wednesday’s contest, they might have stood a genuine chance.
It appeared the players understood the importance of a strong start, and they began with intent.
However, Galatasaray, an energetic and organised side, did not allow Juventus to dominate easily, forcing the Old Lady to remain patient before eventually opening the scoring through a Manuel Locatelli penalty.
That goal injected belief and urgency into the hosts, who pushed forward in search of the additional goals required to force extra time. They entered the interval ahead, with momentum firmly on their side.
Juventus Reduced To 10 Men
Three minutes after the restart, Kelly was shown a red card for a reckless challenge, a development that seemed certain to derail Juventus’ hopes.
Supporters inside the Allianz Stadium would have questioned how their side could possibly find two more goals with a numerical disadvantage.
Galatasaray sought to capitalise by introducing fresh legs, including Leroy Sane.
Despite the setback, the Bianconeri demonstrated resilience and determination, scoring again through Federico Gatti to underline their refusal to surrender.
Late Drama Seals Juventus Exit
Juventus then found another goal through Weston McKennie, stunning a Galatasaray side that had largely been outplayed on the night.
The strike proved sufficient to force extra time, as the Bianconeri continued to press in pursuit of qualification.
However, fatigue became apparent at the start of extra time, and the impact of playing with 10 men began to show.
Osimhen pulled a goal back for Galatasaray late in the first half of extra time, shifting the momentum decisively.
Galatasaray then dominated proceedings, with Edon Zhegrova missing an opportunity to bring Juventus level once more.
Baris Alper Yilmaz subsequently added another goal for Galatasaray, ultimately ending the Old Lady’s European campaign.
Vinicious Steers Lackluster Madrid Through
At the Santiago Bernabeu, Vinícius Júnior ran to the corner and danced again, just as he had done in Lisbon a week ago, but this time there was celebration all around him. There was also relief.
With 11 minutes left on a sometimes nervous night at the Bernabéu, he had been set free to run through, putting the ball past Anatoliy Trubin and Real Madrid into the last 16 of the Champions League.
A 3-1 aggregate lead secured, a place in the next round too, he set off and shook his hips in front of the flag, fans released from their fears and applauding him as he did so.
One-nil up from a first leg in Lisbon that had been overshadowed by allegations that the Brazilian had been racially abused by Benfica’s Argentine Gianluca Prestianni, Madrid had trailed by an early goal here and although they equalised swiftly, an uneasy night ensued in which they had not felt safe until then.
In the end though, with Prestianni and José Mourinho absent and nowhere to be seen, an impressive performance from Benfica was not enough.
Madrid had facilitated radio cabin No 6 on the eighth floor of the Santiago Bernabéu so that Mourinho could watch the game but he had decided not to take up the offer, instead watching alone from somewhere else lower in the Bernabéu when his team took the lead.
It was some move too, a minute’s worth of possession in which they brought the ball up the left, found their path blocked, turned, went back and built again, eventually travelling all the way to deep, deep inside Madrid’s area and the opening goal.
Fredrik Aursnes’s diagonal opened the pitch out, spreading play to the other side where, not for the first time, Amar Didic dashed inside. Ricardo Rios’s sharp pass round the corner set Vangelis Pavlidis into the area and although his ball across was met by Raúl Asencio, sliding in, the defender only managed to send it goalwards.
Thibaut Courtois saved that but Rafa Silva scrambled over the line. High in the north stand, 4000 Benfica fans, who could already be heard as much as the home supporters, went wild.
Nor was it just the goal. Benfica had started well here, dominating possession and moving, Didic in particular. One run from him ended with Andreas Schjelderup hitting the side netting while Rafa Silva had tie-poked, futsal style, at Courtois.
And yet while the start had been bright, the lead did not last long. Just two minutes later, Madrid were level, 2-1 up on aggregate.
It began with a gift from Nicolas Otamendi to Aurélien Tchouaméni who turned right and kept on running. Arda Güler and Fede Valverde combined to return it to him, inside the area now, where he bent a superb finish into the net before heading to the corner and gesturing for calm. Which was a useful message, but Madrid are rarely reliable enough to ever feel entirely clear of danger and a long ball into the wide, wide space behind Trent Alexander-Arnold almost saw them undone again quickly.
Schjelderup ran clear and his pass went through the legs of Pavlidis and across the six-yard box. So too did the corner after Leandro Barreiro had recovered the loose ball, brought it back, exchanged slick passes with Silva and almost scored.
As for Madrid, they soon thought they had scored too when Güler struck under Trubin, but the video assistant referee had seen an offside.
If less incisive than in the first leg, Vinícius was, as usual, the outlet, and his delivery saw a Valverde volley float wide yet Benfica kept coming at them.
An astonishing save from Courtois denied Ricardo Rios and a dash clear was pulled back for a supposed foul from Barreiro who had robbed Tchouaméni.
It had been a game without a clear flow from Madrid and the second half continued in similar way, frustration and even the occasional whistle creeping in from home fans who have seen this before.
Asencio headed over and Alexander-Arnold flashed a shot wide but it was Schjelderup and Silva who stood out most, another run from the former leading to the latter hitting the bar from the edge of the area.
Not long after, Tchouameni lost possession to Aursnes and Pavlidis’s deflected shot, set up by Silva on the edge of the area, skidded just past the post. It was Benfica’s tenth attempt of the night and did little to calm the nerves or the irritation.
That was replaced by concern when Eduardo Camavinga and Asencio crashed into each other going for a header with Silva, leaving Asencio carried off on a stretcher and in a neck brace. Time was passing, Madrid still in the lead and getting closer, but not with much conviction.
Until, suddenly, there it was. Tomas Araujo misjudged a ball to nowhere, leaving his post at the back and mis-controlling in the centre circle. Valverde got there fast and released Vinícius who raced away for the last dance.
*Osimhen (number 45) leans towards a teammate after scoring vs Juventus… Wednesday.
FULL RESULTS:
Atalanta – Dortmund 4:1
Juventus – Galatasaray 3:2aet
PSG – Monaco 2:2
Real Madrid – Benfica 2:1
