Benfica loses at home to Qarabag in the Champions League
Benfica wasted a two-goal lead and suffered a stunning 3-2 defeat to Qarabag in their Champions League opener at Estádio da Luz on Tuesday night.
Dream Start Turns Into Nightmare
The Portuguese giants seemed in control after just 16 minutes. Barrenechea headed in from a Sudakov corner, and minutes later, Pavlidis doubled the lead with another assist from the Ukrainian midfielder.
But Qarabag struck back in the 31st minute through Leandro Andrade, punishing Benfica’s first defensive lapse. From there, the visitors grew in confidence, with Jankovic hitting the post and Trubin forced into two big saves before halftime.
Durán and Kashchuk Complete Stunning Comeback
The second half started disastrously for Benfica. Just seconds after the restart, Camilo Durán outpaced António Silva and finished coolly to level the score 2-2.
Benfica pressed to restore their lead — Richard Rios came close, and Bruno Lage reshuffled his attack with four substitutions — but the final blow came late. In the dying minutes, Kashchuk struck with a half-turn finish, sealing a historic comeback for Qarabag and silencing the Luz.
The final whistle brought jeers and white handkerchiefs from frustrated fans, a symbolic protest at the team’s collapse.
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