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.
Monaco’s Takumi Minamino (L) scores against Benfica during the first half of the Champions League knockout-phase playoffs 2nd leg at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on Feb. 18, 2025. (Kyodo)
Minamino latched on to a bouncing ball inside the box and drilled low into the corner 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.
Monaco’s Takumi Minamino (C) consoles a teammate following the Champions League knockout-phase playoffs 2nd leg against Benfica at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on Feb. 18, 2025. (Kyodo)
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.
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.
Celtic’s Daizen Maeda (L) vies for the ball during the Champions League knockout-phase playoffs 2nd leg against Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 18, 2025. (Kyodo)
Trailing 2-1 after the first leg, the visitors dominated a sub-par Bayern and led in the 63rd minute when Maeda’s pass on a quick break 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.
Celtic’s Reo Hatate (L) vies for the ball during the Champions League knockout-phase playoffs 2nd leg against Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 18, 2025. (Kyodo)
Related coverage:
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Football: Reo Hatate assists in loss as Celtic await tough playoff draw
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