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.

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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.