In a fiery Group C encounter at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Benfica mounted a thrilling comeback from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw against fellow Argentinian giants Boca Juniors. The match, which saw both sides reduced to ten men, was a testament to grit and determination.
Benfica, entering the match on a remarkable 15-game scoring streak, looked to continue their prolific form early on. Renato Sanches dragged a shot wide in the sixth minute, and the ever-influential Angel Di Maria soon began orchestrating play. His precise cross found Bruma, whose powerful effort rattled the post in the 19th minute.
However, against the run of play, the 38-time Portuguese champions found themselves behind just three minutes later. Boca Juniors’ first meaningful attack saw Lautaro Blanco skillfully nutmeg his marker, Florentino Luis, before delivering an inch-perfect low ball for Miguel Merentiel to tap past Anatoliy Trubin. The Argentinians doubled their lead soon after, with a deep Kevin Zenon corner headed back across goal by Ayrton Costa to Rodrigo Battaglia, who nodded home for a 2-0 advantage.
The two quick goals seemed to deflate Benfica, but a lifeline appeared on the stroke of halftime. Following a VAR review, Nicolas Otamendi was deemed to have committed a foul in the area, and Angel Di Maria calmly converted the resulting penalty, halving the deficit heading into the break.
The second half proved to be a tight affair, with few clear-cut chances. An Otamendi header flying over the bar was the only significant effort for either side by the hour mark. Boca’s Miguel Angel Russo’s men responded with another Battaglia header that failed to find the target.
The match intensified in the final 20 minutes, with tensions boiling over. Andrea Belotti was shown a straight red card for a high foot that caught Ayrton Costa in the head, leaving Benfica a man down. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Bruno Lage’s side showcased incredible resilience. They found an equalizer six minutes from time when Nicolas Otamendi powered a header past Agustin Marchesin from an Orkun Kokcu corner, completing the dramatic comeback.
Alvaro Carreras squandered a late chance to clinch a winner for Benfica, extending their winless run in all competitions to four matches. Meanwhile, Boca Juniors made history by becoming the first Argentinian side to avoid defeat against a European opponent in the CWC, despite having Jorge Figal sent off late for a dangerous challenge on Florentino Luis.
