LISBON, Portugal (AP) — When Benfica was awarded a foul near the area deep into stoppage time, coach José Mourinho looked at goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin and told him to go into the penalty box for the set piece.
Moments later, Trubin was at the bottom of a pile of Benfica players celebrating his goal, a decisive one against Real Madrid that sent the Portuguese club into the knockout round of the Champions League.
Trubin’s header gave Benfica a 4-2 victory and the goal difference it needed to make it into the top 24 in the league phase of the European competition.
“I didn’t know what we needed. Then I saw everyone telling me to go up. I also saw our coach, so I went up, went into the box, and I don’t know… I don’t know what to say,” Trubin said. “Crazy moment. I don’t know what to say. I’m not used to scoring. I’m 24 years old and it’s the first time. Unbelievable.”
The goal also meant that Madrid, Mourinho’s former club, dropped out of the top eight that automatically qualified for the round of 16.
“I had no idea if 3-2 was enough, I had no indication. When the free kick came, I sent Trubin up front,” Mourinho said. “This victory is historic and important, even more so from a prestige point of view.”
Trubin sprinted toward midfield and slid on his knees after scoring. His teammates followed and quickly mobbed him. By the bench, Mourinho also ran before turning to the fans while celebrating profusely.
The 24-year-old Ukrainian goalkeeper pointed to the sky as he was later raised by his teammates.
“We knew that he could do it,” Mourinho said. “We were losing in Porto a couple of weeks ago, and in the last minute, he went up, and he almost scored. So we know that the big guy is capable of this. The quality of the service, of course, is the most important thing. You have to put the ball there, but it’s an amazing goal for the guy.”
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was among those going to congratulate Trubin after the match. The Belgium international smiled as he hugged the Benfica hero.
Trubin became the fifth goalkeeper to have scored in the Champions League proper, according to UEFA, and the first since Ivan Provedel netted for Lazio in a 1-1 draw with Atlético Madrid in 2023.
Madrid was down to nine men at the time Trubin connected with the free-kick cross by Fredrik Aursnes in the eighth minute of stoppage time at the Estadio da Luz. Raúl Asencio had been sent off two minutes into added time and Rodrygo four minutes later.
The free kick that led to Trubin’s goal was prompted by a foul by Jude Bellingham on Aursnes.
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