Vinicius fires Madrid past Benfica in Playoff thriller

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Real Madrid survived an early scare to defeat Benfica 2–1 on the night and 3–1 on aggregate, sealing their passage to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 after a tense playoff second leg.

Benfica struck first in the 14th minute when Rafa Silva reacted quickest to a rebound and tapped home, briefly unsettling the hosts. But Madrid’s response was swift and composed.

Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni restored parity in the 16th minute after a neat exchange involving Federico Valverde, rifling a precise finish into the right side of the net to level the contest.

The Spanish giants thought they had turned the game around midway through the first half when Arda Güler bundled in from close range, but VAR intervened to rule the goal out.

Undeterred, Madrid continued to press, with Thibaut Courtois producing key saves to deny Richard Ríos and keep the tie under control.

The decisive moment arrived in the 80th minute. Valverde slipped a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Vinícius Júnior, who burst into the box and drilled a clinical finish into the bottom right corner to make it 2–1.

Despite nine minutes of stoppage time and late pressure from Benfica, Madrid managed the closing stages with composure, securing progression after a disciplined and efficient display.

Having won the first leg 1–0, Madrid side advance 3–1 on aggregate.