Raphinha strikes as 10-man Barcelona edge Benfica in Champions League clash
LISBON: Barcelona secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday, with Raphinha netting the decisive goal despite an early red card for teenage defender Pau Cubarsí.
Cubarsí was sent off in the 22nd minute for a last-man foul on Vangelis Pavlidis, leaving Barcelona with a mountain to climb. However, veteran goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny produced a heroic performance, making a series of stunning saves to keep his side in the contest.
The breakthrough came in the 61st minute when a misplaced pass in Benfica’s defense allowed Raphinha to pounce. The Brazilian’s low strike took a deflection before sneaking past the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner.
Szczęsny, who came out of retirement to replace the injured Marc-André ter Stegen, was instrumental in securing the win. His experience and shot-stopping ability ensured that Barcelona carried a crucial lead into the second leg at Camp Nou.
