Marseille secured their spot in the Europa League semi-finals by triumphing over Benfica in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Despite a narrow loss in the first leg, Marseille’s determination to level the tie paid off when Faris Moumbagna scored his maiden European goal for the club in the 79th minute.
The match ended 2-2 on aggregate after extra time, setting the stage for a tense penalty shootout to determine the winner.
Marseille held their nerve, converting all four of their penalties, while a miss from Angel Di Maria and a save from Antonio Silva gave them the edge.
In the semi-finals, Marseille will face Atalanta, who knocked out Liverpool. Meanwhile, Benfica will need to refocus on their domestic campaign.
The first half remained goalless as Benfica aimed to protect their narrow lead from the first leg, with Marseille’s Iliman Ndiaye coming closest early on.
Despite Benfica’s attempts to extend their advantage, Marseille remained resilient, with goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin denying their best chances.
Marseille’s patience paid off when Fredrik Aursnes nearly found the net, and Trubin made crucial saves to keep Benfica at bay.
In the second half, substitute Faris Moumbagna found the equalizer, heading in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cross to level the tie.
Both teams had chances in extra time, but neither could find a breakthrough, leading to a dramatic penalty shootout.
Benfica’s hopes were dashed when Di Maria hit the post with their first penalty, and Lopez’s save from Antonio Silva sealed Marseille’s victory.
Luis Henrique stepped up to convert the decisive penalty, sending Marseille into the semi-finals with a thrilling win.
