The rollercoaster ride that was the match between Óquei de Barcelos and Liceo will be remembered for a long time. In a stunning turn of events, the Portuguese team qualified for the Champions League Final Four after a nail-biting penalty shootout. Miguel Rocha’s decisive goal sealed the deal, leaving the Spanish team reeling.
The Spanish visitors took the lead not once, but twice in the first three minutes. David Torres scored the first goal at the five-minute mark, followed by César Carballeira’s strike three minutes later. However, the home team fought back, with Pol Manrubia equalizing at the seven-minute mark. Liceo regained the lead with Franco Ferrucio’s goal, taking the score to 1-3.
The pace of the game was frantic, with Poka scoring for the home team at the 21-minute mark, bridging the gap to 2-3. This scoreline held until the interval, setting the stage for a thrilling second half.
The intensity remained high in the second half, but goals were scarce. Liceo scored the only goal of the half, taking the match into extra time. The home team had two golden opportunities to wrap up the game, with Miguel Rocha and Luís Querido both missing penalties.
As the match headed into extra time, the tension mounted. However, neither team could find the back of the net, sending the game into a penalty shootout. In the end, it was Miguel Rocha who emerged as the hero, scoring the only penalty in the shootout to send his team to the Final Four. They will face Noia on May 10th in Matosinhos, while Benfica takes on FC Porto in the other semifinal match.
