Nigerian teenager George ilenikhena was on the scoresheet for AS Monaco, but his side fell short as Benfica secured a place in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 with a 4-3aggregate win following a thrilling 3-3 draw on Tuesday night.
Benfica, holding a 1-0 advantage from the first leg in France, took the lead in the 22nd minute when Kerem Aktürkoğlu fired home after a clever pass from Vangelis Pavlidis. However, Monaco responded well, and Takumi Minamino equalised in the 32nd minute, finishing off a flick from Breel Embolo.
The visitors came close to taking the lead before halftime, hitting the post twice and missing a golden chance when Embolo shot over from close range. Their pressure paid off in the 51st minute when Eliesse Ben Seghir slotted home to make it 2-1 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate.
Benfica regained the aggregate lead in the 74th minute through a controversial penalty. VAR determined that Thilo Kehrer had fouled Fredrik Aursnes inside the box, and Pavlidis made no mistake from the spot to put the hosts 3-2 ahead.
Monaco fought back once again, with Ilenikhena making an instant impact after coming on as a substitute. The 17-year-old capitalised on a defensive error by Nicolás Otamendi in the 81st minute, racing through on goal and firing past Anatoliy Trubin to level the tie at 3-3 on aggregate.
Few minutes after Ilenikhena’s goal, Benfica scored again as Orkun Kökcü netted with a right-footed strike which hit the woodwork on its way in to lead 4-3 on aggregate.
For Monaco, it was a heartbreaking exit, but Ilenikhena’s goal was a bright spot for Nigerian football fans, as the young forward continues to show promise on the big stage, scoring two goals in six Champions League appearances this season.
About The Author
