PSV Eindhoven threatened to overturn a 4-1 deficit before Benfica hit back to secure a semi-final spot.
Luisao and Cardozo salvage 2-2 draw and aggregate win for Portuguese
PSV Eindhoven threatened to overturn a 4-1 first-leg deficit before Benfica hit back to secure a Europa League semi-final spot.
PSV got back to within a goal of the Portuguese side on aggregate after Balazs Dzsudzsak and Jeremain Lens scored inside the opening 45 minutes.
However, Anderson Luisao replied for Benfica before half-time and Oscar Cardozo's 63rd-minute penalty made it 2-2 on the night.
The draw meant that Benfica prevailed 6-3 over the two legs, and now go on to face domestic rivals Braga in the last four.
Benfica were the quickest out of the traps and an improvised volley from Nicolas Gaitan almost gave the visitors an early breakthrough.
Javier Saviola was then gifted a great chance to break the deadlock after 10 minutes when PSV defender Antonio Marcelo played a ball across the defence straight into the path of the Argentine but PSV goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson made a good save.
Despite requiring three goals to progress, the home side had been dominated in the opening exchanges but they started to impose themselves on the game and took their first real chance on 17 minutes.
Lens beat the Benfica offside trap and his pace allowed him to escape any challenges before he delivered a low cross which was converted by Dzsudzsak at the back post.
Repelling
Lens again used his blistering pace to beat the visitors' defence on 25 minutes and when his first effort was well saved by Jimenez Roberto, the forward showed great composure to convert the rebound.
Dzsudzsak then had a great chance to put PSV in charge of the tie as he gathered possession on the edge of the box after a mistake from Maxi Pereira, but Roberto made himself big and blocked the shot.
The home side were starting to dominate and their defence were repelling anything that Benfica could throw at them, with only a long-range chip from Cardozo coming close.
But deep into first-half stoppage time Pereira swung in a free-kick which Isaksson flapped at, allowing Luisao to score an acrobatic volley and give Benfica a vital away goal.
The second half started slowly, with the first real chances of note coming just before the hour mark when Gaitan stung the palms of Isaksson and Luisao headed the resulting corner just over the bar.
Benfica's equaliser on the night came in the 62nd minute after Cesar Peixoto was crudely fouled in the box by Marcelo, who was lucky to remain on the pitch having already been booked, and Cardozo coolly slotted the penalty straight down the middle of the goal to put the tie beyond PSV.
| PSV Eindhoven |
Team Statistics |
Benfica |
| 2 |
Goals |
2 |
| 2 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 4 |
Shots on Target |
4 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
8 |
| 2 |
Blocked Shots |
1 |
| 2 |
Corners |
5 |
| 21 |
Fouls |
18 |
| 7 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 3 |
Yellow Cards |
0 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 79.4 |
Passing Success |
78 |
| 34 |
Tackles |
21 |
| 82.4 |
Tackles Success |
85.7 |
| 55.1 |
Possession |
44.9 |
| 48.2 |
Territorial Advantage |
51.8 |
|
