Match ends, Benfica 2, Tottenham Hotspur 2.
Benfica 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur (agg 5-3)
- From the section Football
Tottenham exited the Europa League despite staging a second-half fightback against Benfica that put them close to taking the tie to extra time.
Ezequiel Garay headed in to put the hosts 4-1 up on aggregate.
But with the tie seemingly over, Nacer Chadli scored twice in a minute.
Spurs almost grabbed another as Gylfi Sigurdsson's injury-time header was saved, but Benfica made it 2-2 on the night and 5-3 overall when Lima scored from the penalty spot.
Having been outclassed in the first leg of the last-16 tie and looking weary in Lisbon, Tottenham's late surge almost inflicted Benfica's first defeat in 23 games in all competitions.
But Sandro's barge on Lima gifted the hosts a chance to level the scores and the Brazilian substitute sent Brad Friedel the wrong way with the last kick of the game.
Despite the aggregate defeat, Tottenham at least showed the character that boss Tim Sherwood desired prior to kick-off.
With late chances for Sigurdsson and substitute Harry Kane, who also had a penalty appeal turned down, Spurs could have taken victory but they will look back on their 3-1 first-leg defeat as the reason for their exit.
The fact they salvaged a draw with an injury-hit squad against last season's runners-up will be pleasing for Sherwood, who saw his team end a run of three successive defeats.
Spurs are fifth in the Premier League, on course to qualify for next season's Europa League, but it remains to be seen if Sherwood will be at White Hart Lane after the club was strongly linked with Louis van Gaal.
Sherwood has publicly criticised his players in recent weeks and he called for leadership from his side, who were without a recognised centre-back - midfielder Sandro and full-back Ezekiel Fryers deputising in the heart of the defence.
But they began slowly and, after Roberto Soldado scuffed a shot at the back post and then fired over from close range, Garay's first-half goal put a technically superior Benfica in control.
Sherwood decided to watch from the stands after his fall-out with Benfica manager Jorge Jesus in the first leg. He was still infuriated after his side wasted a good free-kick opportunity a minute before the opener, with captain Aaron Lennon making a feeble challenge on Eduardo Salvio, who chipped a cross to team-mate Garay.
In the first half, there were signs of promise from a young Spurs side on the counter attack and Andros Townsend shot wide in one decent opportunity after the break.
Then, with 12 minutes left, Chadli cut in from the right before firing a shot past Benfica keeper Jan Oblak.
A minute later, the Belgian winger pounced on Kane's header from Lennon's cross to put Spurs within reach of extra time.
Three excellent chances followed but Oblak made two good stops before Lima equalised for the relieved hosts.
Line-ups
Benfica
- 41Oblak
- 14Pereira Páez
- 16Siqueira
- 6Amorim
- 4Luís da SilvaBooked at 10mins
- 24Garay
- 18Salvio
- 30André Gomes
- 7CardozoSubstituted forLima dos Santosat 76'minutes
- 10DjuricicSubstituted forPérezat 71'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 8SulejmaniSubstituted forMarkovicat 90+3'minutes
Substitutes
- 11Lima dos Santos
- 13Lopes
- 19Rodrigo
- 33Nivaldo Vieira
- 34Almeida
- 35Pérez
- 50Markovic
Tottenham
- 24Friedel
- 16NaughtonBooked at 90mins
- 3Rose
- 22G Sigurdsson
- 30Guimarães Cordeiro
- 35Fryers
- 7Lennon
- 42Bentaleb
- 9SoldadoSubstituted forKaneat 71'minutes
- 21Chadli
- 17TownsendSubstituted forEriksenat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 23Eriksen
- 37Kane
- 51Veljkovic
- 56Archer
- 62Winks
- 63Ogilvie
- 64Ball
- Referee:
- Damir Skomina
Match Stats
Home TeamBenficaAway TeamTottenham
- Possession
- Home55%
- Away45%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away5
- Corners
- Home6
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away3
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Benfica 2, Tottenham Hotspur 2.
Goal!
Goal! Benfica 2, Tottenham Hotspur 2. Lima (Benfica) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Penalty Benfica. Lima draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Sandro (Tottenham Hotspur) after a foul in the penalty area.
Attempt saved. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Nacer Chadli with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Benfica. Lazar Markovic replaces Miralem Sulejmani.
Attempt saved. Gylfi Sigurdsson (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Nacer Chadli.
Booking
Enzo Pérez (Benfica) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Enzo Pérez (Benfica).
Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt saved. Eduardo Salvio (Benfica) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Miralem Sulejmani with a cross.
Goal!
Goal! Benfica 1, Tottenham Hotspur 2. Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from very close range to the top right corner. Assisted by Harry Kane with a headed pass.
Offside, Benfica. Ezequiel Garay tries a through ball, but Eduardo Salvio is caught offside.
Goal!
Goal! Benfica 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1. Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Harry Kane with a headed pass.
Hand ball by Eduardo Salvio (Benfica).
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Christian Eriksen replaces Andros Townsend.
Substitution
Substitution, Benfica. Lima replaces Óscar Cardozo.
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Nabil Bentaleb tries a through ball, but Andros Townsend is caught offside.
Foul by André Gomes (Benfica).
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt saved. Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Andros Townsend.
Attempt missed. Guillherme Siqueira (Benfica) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Harry Kane replaces Roberto Soldado.
Substitution
Substitution, Benfica. Enzo Pérez replaces Filip Djuricic.
Foul by Eduardo Salvio (Benfica).
Gylfi Sigurdsson (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Andros Townsend tries a through ball, but Danny Rose is caught offside.
Attempt blocked. Óscar Cardozo (Benfica) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by André Gomes.
Corner, Benfica. Conceded by Sandro.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Maxi Pereira.
Attempt blocked. Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Nabil Bentaleb.
Attempt missed. Luisão (Benfica) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Miralem Sulejmani with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Benfica. Conceded by Aaron Lennon.
Attempt blocked. Guillherme Siqueira (Benfica) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by André Gomes.
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Ezekiel Fryers tries a through ball, but Roberto Soldado is caught offside.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Maxi Pereira.
Maxi Pereira (Benfica) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur).
Corner, Benfica. Conceded by Ezekiel Fryers.