LISBON (Kyodo) — Japan attacker Takumi Minamino scored his fifth career Champions League goal, the most of any Japanese player, but Monaco were knocked out of the competition on Tuesday after losing 4-3 on aggregate following a 3-3 draw at Benfica in the second leg of the knockout phase playoffs.
The goal put Minamino one ahead of Celtic’s Daizen Maeda and Cerezo Osaka’s Shinji Kagawa for the most goals scored by a Japanese in Europe’s top club tournament.
Minamino latched on to a bouncing ball inside the box and drilled low inside the near post in the 32nd minute in Lisbon, making it 1-1 on the night 10 minutes after Kerem Akturkoglu gave the hosts the lead following a Monaco backline mistake.
Eliesse Ben Seghir swept home in the 51st minute for Monaco to bring the tie level, and a 76th-minute Vangelis Pavlidis penalty for Benfica was then canceled out as George Ilenikhena struck for Monaco five minutes later.
But Orkun Kokcu’s deft touch in the air diverted a cross in off the post in the 84th minute to give the Portuguese powerhouse the aggregate win.
“It was a game that we wanted to come away with a win. There were periods where we could feel many times that we could do it,” Minamino said. “I’m really frustrated.”
The 30-year-old played in nine Champions League matches this term, scoring three goals and providing one assist.
“I want to be battling at this level every season,” the former Liverpool man said. “Of course I want to add to my scoring tally (in the competition) as much as I can.”
Maeda and Reo Hatate played the entire game for Celtic as the Scottish champions were beaten 3-2 on aggregate against German giants Bayern Munich.
Trailing 2-1 after the first leg, the visitors dominated a sub-par Bayern and led in the 63rd minute when Maeda reacted quickest to a loose ball in the opposing half and sent a pass that was not cleared by Bayern defender Kim Min Jae, leaving Nicolas Kuhn to roll home.
But the hosts snatched a vital goal in second-half stoppage time when Alphonso Davies blocked a Celtic goalmouth clearance into the net.
“I showed my strength for our goal,” Maeda said. “(But) those who get wins after these types of matches are the strong teams. I really felt we still have some way to go.”
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Publish date : 2025-02-19 04:35:00
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