Liverpool vs. Benfica result & highlights: Reds progress as Darwin Nunez shines in Anfield thriller

Will Savage

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Liverpool vs. Benfica result & highlights: Reds progress as Darwin Nunez shines in Anfield thriller image

Benfica produced a stirring performance at Anfield but it's Liverpool who will face Villarreal in the Champions League semi-finals, the Reds progressing 6-4 on aggregate after a 3-3 second-leg draw in their quarter-final tie.

Liverpool were seen as favourites by most after claiming a 3-1 first-leg advantage, and they showed why early in Tuesday's game. It was deja vu for Benfica as Ibrahima Konate headed home the opener from a corner, as he did in the reverse fixture.

James Milner inadvertently played Goncalo Ramos in on goal, and the youngster finished with aplomb to level things on the night, but it still felt like Liverpool's game. They attacked well, with Kostas Tsimikas impressive on the left, and they looked like they were taking the game away from Benfica in the second half.

Roberto Firmino finished after some hurried defending from the visitors left them at sixes and sevens, Diogo Jota firing the ball across goal for a tap-in for his strike partner. When Firmino got his second after woeful Benfica marking from a Tsimikas free-kick, it looked like the visitors could be in for a bad night.

The away side showed spirit, though. As in the first leg, they kept coming, probing the Liverpool defence when they got the chance. They got one back when Roman Yaremchuk ran in behind onto Alex Grimaldo's pass, kept his cool to round Alisson and slot home. Initially flagged offside, the decision was overturned by VAR, Joe Gomez playing him on.

MORE: Did Jota and Salah show Liverpool's edge over Man City in Premier League title race?

What felt like a mere consolation goal had Liverpool a little nervous, not least as it led to a Benfica third eight minutes later. This time, a long ball in behind ended up at the feet of Darwin Nunez, who opened his body up and placed an excellent finish just inside the near post. Again, it was too easy for a Benfica attacker to get in behind with a simple run.

The visiting fans were raucous as an improbable comeback somehow seemed possible. Yet Liverpool continued to have chances and, in truth, even at 3-3 on the night, it seemed unlikely that Benfica would complete the turnaround.

That's how it ended. While Liverpool go through to face Villarreal, the Eagles did themselves, and their supporters, proud after a battling display in a thrilling contest.

Liverpool vs. Benfica final score

  1H 2H Final
Liverpool  1 3 3
Benfica 1 3 3

Goals:

BEN — Nunez (Joao Mario) — 81st min.

BEN — Yaremchuk (Grimaldo) — 73rd min.

LIV — Firmino (Tsimikas) — 65th min.

LIV — Firmino (Jota) — 54th min.

BEN — Ramos — 31st min.

LIV — Konate (Tsimikas) — 21st min.

Liverpool vs. Benfica live updates, highlights from Champions League

Final: Liverpool 3, Benfica 3

Full-time: That's it! A remarkable game, and an impressive result from Benfica, but turning the tie around always felt just a step too far. They can hold their heads high, but it's Liverpool who go through.

95th min: Benfica have the ball in the back of the net, but it's ruled out, correctly this time. Nunez was offside from an earlier run, and hadn't got back onside when the ball was played into him.

94th min: A curling effort from Salah is just over the bar from the edge of the area, with only a minute of the five added on left.

90th min: Liverpool have the ball in the back of the net. Salah plays a 1-2, before producing quick feet to find space in the area, right of goal. He fires the ball towards the far post, where Mane taps in, but he was always offside. Gil Dias is on for Gilberto, and Andre Almeida is on for Everton, while Liverpool make a change of their own.

88th min: Liverpool have their foot on the ball, and they're happy to just slow things down a little now.

Nunez's goal for Canada:

Nunez's goal for USA:

Nunez's goal for AUS:

Nunez's goal for UK:

86th min: Nunez hit the post from outside the area almost immediately after that goal. The visitors haven't given up here, and the mood at Anfield is a little edgy, but they'll have to leave gaps at the back if they're going to chase this down.

83rd min: GOAL!

This Liverpool defensive line is being found wanting here. After Yaremchuk's goal earlier, this time a long ball ends up at the feet of Darwin Nunez, who timed his run well and opened his body to curl a superb finish just inside the post. Again it's disallowed, and again VAR overturns it! 6-4 on aggregate now, surely they couldn't?

80th min: Benfica have made a change, as Liverpool continue to find gaps. Salah combines well with Firmino, who can't finish a chance for his hattrick.

78th min: Benfica have kept coming, although they need to score three more just to take the game to extra time, but every time they attack, they look vulnerable to the counter. Anything could happen here.

Yaremchuk's goal for AUS:

Yaremchuk's goal for USA:

73rd min: GOAL!

Benfica have pulled one back through Yaremchuk! It's 6-3 on the night. He gets in behind the Liverpool defence, who try and fail to play him offside, and rounds Alisson before finishing. It's initially flagged offside, but VAR shows that he timed his run well, with Joe Gomez playing him on.

72nd min: Since Firmino's goal, Sadio Mane has come on for Diaz, while Benfica have brought on Joao Mario for Taarabt.

Firmino's second for USA:

Firmino's second for AUS:

70th min: It's getting away from Benfica here, and Liverpool are cruising. Having taken their foot off the gas earlier in the half, they're forcing the issue once again. Tsimikas is getting down the left to good effect, as he did in the first half.

Firmino's second for Canada:

65th min: GOAL!

Firmino gets another! It's a Tsimikas free kick from deep on the left and it's easy for Firmino. He runs off the back of Benfica's defensive line, who barely move, Otamendi not even tracking his run, and that leaves him one on one. He keeps his eye on the incoming ball and places it past the helpless Vlachodimos.

61st min: Darwin Nunez is down off the pitch. He collided with the advertising hoarding behind the byline, after standing up a cross from the left. Benfica want the ball out of play but he's already being tended to off the pitch, so Liverpool play on.

Firmino's goal for Canada:

Firmino's goal for USA:

Firmino's goal for UK:

Firmino's goal for AUS:

58th min: It's a triple change for Liverpool, and there's a game of pass the armband. Henderson gives it to Milner as he comes off, but the Englishman takes it off as soon as it's on his arm, as he comes off at the same time.

55th min: GOAL!

Liverpool are back ahead on the night! Keita carries forward and tries to play in Diaz, who spins away from Otamendi. His touch is too loose and Vlachodimos is out to out, but his attempt to smother is loose. Vertonghen is forced into a hurried clearance, out to Jota on the left, who drills a cross back into the area and Firmino is arriving at the far post, on the blindside of the Benfica defenders. Benfica want it disallowed for offside, but VAR says the goal stands.

54th min: Liverpool are taking things a little slower in this half, happy to keep the ball and play it forward as the opportunity comes. They run the risk of giving Benfica the chance to take control of the tie, but their visitors aren't pressing too aggressively when Liverpool have it at the back.

51st min: With Darwin Nunez floating off to the left, as he does, Yaremchuk is providing a more advanced presence than Gonçalves did. Of course, Liverpool are the favourites here, but the onus is on Benfica to make something happen here. Liverpool have been comfortable enough in the first five minutes of this half.

46th min: We're back underway. Yaremchuk is on for Gonçalves, who was probably the quietest of Benfica's attackers.

Halftime: The half ends with the sides trading efforts. Gomez half volleys a pass from Henderson that doesn't really trouble Vlachodimos, before Everton's shot from distance is held by Alisson, before the flag goes up. Benfica aren't out of the tie just yet, but Liverpool's two goal cushion is intact.

46th min: A Keita shot from outside the arrow fizzes just wide of the post, he hit across the ball slightly as a Jota cross was cleared to him. He shot from around forty metres earlier, and it went high over the bar, so he's getting closer. Before that, Benfica strung together a good passing move, the most comfortable they've looked so far tonight.

42nd min: Benfica look they have a little more belief since that goal went in. They're pressing high at times, but it's not too much of a problem for Liverpool to play through them.

Ramos' goal for USA:

38th min: Liverpool haven't been deterred, but they've spurned the most ridiculous of chances. Firmino gets onto the end of a ball in Benfica's half, with Vlachodimos caught in no man's land as he comes for the ball and stops, halfway. He's way out of his goal, but Firmino opts not to try and him, giving him time to get back in his area. The attacker looks to be making room on his left, to take a shot, but ends up trying to slide in Luis Diaz at the far post instead. It looks set for the Colombian to tap in, but Grimaldo slides in just in time, to take the ball off the attacker's foot. A remarkable series of events.

Ramos' goal for Canada:

Ramos' goal for AUS:

32nd min: GOAL!

They're not out of it yet! The ball comes to Ramos somewhat fortuitously, as James Milner accidentally plays him in while trying to get to the ball ahead of Gonçalves. Ramos is in behind the right side of Liverpool's attack, and in the area. He finishes confidently, and it's 1-1 on the night. There's a VAR check for offside, but the goal stands!

31st min: The Liverpool pressure continues to mount, with a series of corners. Firmino looks certain to score at one point, heading from close range, but he heads it into the back of Vertonghen, who's in place to unknowingly prevent a goal.

27th min: Diaz makes himself some room on the right, with a drop of the shoulder in the penalty area, and he unleashes a stinging drive that Vlachodimos parries.

Konate's goal for UK

Konate's goal for AUS:

25th min: Darwin Nunez has the ball in the back of the net, running into space behind Liverpool's defence before chipping Alisson in no man's land. It's a composed finish, but it won't count. The assistant's flag is up, and VAR shows the decision to be correct.

Konate's goal for Canada:

Konate's goal for USA:

21st min: GOAL!

Konate opens the scoring again! Liverpool have been going through the gears in the last couple of minutes, and they're rewarded with a corner from the left. Konate rises above a group of Benfica defenders, and heads in at the far post with ease. They're in the driving seat now.

19th min: Liverpool win a free kick on the left. It comes to nothing, but it looks like Liverpool are targetting that side. Gilberto has certainly had a lot to deal with so far, while Luis Diaz hasn't seen much of the ball on the right.

16th min: Jota wants a penalty, but he's never getting that. Gilberto and Otamendi go up for a long ball, the centre back for some reason rushing out of the defensive line, and neither of them winning it. It falls to Jota who plays a 1-2 with Firmino, but Vlachodimos is out to the pass first. Jota goes down, but the referee isn't giving. The 'keeper is still down, having taken a whack from Jota in the process.

13th min: Nunez uses his pace to get round Matip, but can't pick someone out from the byline. Milner wastes a Liverpool free kick and Benfica counter. It ends up with Everton in the right half space, just outside the area. He has time to line up his shot and he hits it towards the far post. It curls just wide, but it's a warning for Liverpool.

9th min: Liverpool have had a couple of good moments, mainly coming from Jota making a nuisance of himself in Benfica's third, and the away side failing to get the ball clear when he does so. Liverpool haven't made them pay just yet, but any sloppiness at the back will surely be punished.

7th min: Benfica's full back have been pushing up the pitch at every opportunity. With Gomez and Tsimikas deputising for Alexander-Arnold and Robertson, the visitors may look to target the wide areas.

4th min: It's been a good start so far, Benfica playing with purpose but Liverpool not overly troubled.

1st min: Here we go!

1 min from kickoff: The teams are lining up for the kickoff at a noisy Anfield.

30 mins from kickoff: The away fans are clearly looking to enjoy themselves tonight, win or lose. Anfield is still filling up in the early evening sun.

40 mins from kickoff: Starting Milner rather than one of Liverpool's young midfield starlets may raise a few eyebrows, but Klopp will be counting on the veteran's experience to see this game out without any major surprises.

45 mins from kickoff: The visitors have arrived at Anfield, and the clock is counting down till kickoff.

60 mins from kickoff: The Benfica team is as strong as expected, with the visitors having nothing to lose in the tie.

79 mins from kickoff: The team news is in for the hosts, with a few changes to the team.

80 mins from kickoff: If the visitors are to pull off an unlikely comeback tonight, this man will be key for them up front.

180 mins from kickoff: We're here with live updates of every single moment as the Reds look to advance to the semi-final.

Liverpool vs. Benfica lineups

Klopp doesn't have too many injury problems, but he's had to find a balance in his team selection. Roberto Firmino and Luis Diaz both start, with Liverpool facing a busy month, while both full backs are rested, as is Van Dijk.

Liverpool lineup (4-3-3): Alisson (GK) — Gomez, Matip, Konate, Tsimikas — Henderson, Keita, Milner — Jota, Firmino, Diaz

Liverpool subs (12): Kelleher, Fabinho, Van Dijk, Thiago, Mane, Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Roberson, Origi, Alexander-Arnold, Elliott

As he was in the first leg, Darwin Nunez is likely to be the key man for the visitors, with the forward netting an impressive hat-trick at the weekend. The big miss is Rafa Silva, with the creative attacker out with injury.

Benfica lineup (4-5-1): Vlachodimos (GK) — Gilberto, Otamendi, Vertonghen, Grimaldo — Gonçalves, Weigl, Ramos, Taarabt, Everton — Nunez

Benfica subs (12): Helton, Valentino, Morato, Pedro Álvaro, André Almeida, Meïte, Paulo Bernardo, João Mário, Nemanja, Gil Dias, Seferovic, Yaremchuk

MORE: Liverpool and Manchester City schedule and remaining fixtures in Premier League title race

How to watch Liverpool vs. Benfica

  UK USA Canada Australia
Date April 13 April 13 April 13 April 14
Time 8 p.m. 3 p.m. ET 3 p.m. ET 5 a.m. AET
TV channel BT Sport 3 - - -
Streaming BT Sport Paramount+ DAZN Stan Sport

In the US, Spanish-language coverage of the Champions League is available on fuboTV, which also offers a free trial to new subscribers.

In Canada, every Champions League game streams live on DAZN. 

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Will Savage