Soccer

Late goals send Benfica into Champions League quarter-finals

Zenit St Petersburg had taken the lead through Hulk

Benfica’s players celebrate during the Champions League round of 16 second-leg match against Zenit St Petersburg at the Petrovsky stadium. Photograph: Olga Maltseva/AFP/Getty Images
Benfica’s players celebrate during the Champions League round of 16 second-leg match against Zenit St Petersburg at the Petrovsky stadium. Photograph: Olga Maltseva/AFP/Getty Images
Wed Mar 09 2016 - 19:13

Zenit St Petersburg 1 Benfica 2 (Benfica win 3-1 on agg)

Nicolas Gaitan and Anderson Talisca scored in the last five minutes to give Benfica a dramatic 2-1 win at Zenit St Petersburg on Wednesday which sent them into the Champions League quarter-finals.

Benfica, leading 1-0 from the first leg of the round of 16 tie and fielding a makeshift defence, fell behind in the 69th minute to a Zenit goal scored by Brazilian striker Hulk.

With Zenit pressing for a second, however, Benfica snatched an 85th-minute equaliser when Gaitan was first to react after Raul Jimenez’s long-range drive hit the bar and he headed in from the rebound.

READ SOME MORE

Substitute Anderson Talisca scored with the last kick of the game to leave Zenit waiting for their first ever quarter-final place. Twice former European champions Benfica reached the last eight for the first time since 2012.