Goalkeeper Scores in 98th Minute to Send Benfica Through

When Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin rushed forward in the 98th minute on Wednesday, he had no idea he was about to score the most important goal of his life.

Benfica was already ahead 3-2 against Real Madrid at their home stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. But they needed one more goal to guarantee their spot in the Champions League knockout round.

The match had five minutes of added stoppage time, and the clock had already ticked past that when Benfica earned a free kick near Real Madrid's goal. Manager Jose Mourinho made a split-second decision and waved his goalkeeper forward.

The kick sailed perfectly into the box. Trubin leaped and connected with a header that flew into the back of the net.

The stadium erupted as teammates mobbed the stunned goalkeeper. The 24-year-old Ukrainian had just scored his first goal ever as a professional player.

"I didn't know what we needed. Then I saw everyone telling me to go up," Trubin said after the match. "I went into the box, and I don't know what to say. Crazy moment."

Why This Inspires

Trubin's goal meant everything to Benfica, pushing them into 24th place and securing their knockout round berth. But it meant something more to football fans everywhere who watched an underdog moment unfold in real time.

The goal also knocked Real Madrid out of the automatic qualification spots, adding extra sweetness for Mourinho against a club he once managed. "This victory is historic and important, even more so from a prestige point of view," the legendary coach said.

Trubin became only the fifth goalkeeper to score in Champions League history. The last time it happened was in 2023 when Ivan Provedel scored for Lazio.

Mourinho revealed this wasn't pure luck. "We were losing in Porto a couple of weeks ago, and in the last minute, he went up, and he almost scored," he explained. "So we know that the big guy is capable of this."

For a goalkeeper who spends every match protecting his own goal, scoring the goal that sends your team forward creates a story you'll tell forever.