Soccer-Marseille edge Benfica on penalties to reach Europa League semi-finals

Soccer Football – Europa League – Quarter Final – Second Leg – Olympique de Marseille v Benfica – Orange Velodrome, Marseille, France – April 18, 2024 Olympique de Marseille’s Gael Lafont, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Faris Moumbagna celebrate winning the penalty shootout REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

MARSEILLE (Reuters) – Olympique de Marseille claimed a penalty shootout win over Benfica on Thursday to reach the Europa League semi-finals after Faris Moumbagna’s late second-half goal levelled the tie at 2-2 on aggregate.

Soccer Football – Europa League – Quarter Final – Second Leg – Olympique de Marseille v Benfica – Orange Velodrome, Marseille, France – April 18, 2024 Benfica’s Joao Neves in action with Olympique de Marseille’s Raimane Daou REUTERS/Manon Cruz

Benfica’s Angel Di Maria missed the first kick of the shootout striking the post and goalkeeper Pau Lopez saved Antonio Silva’s effort to hand Marseille the win with all of their penalty takers scoring their first four.

Soccer Football – Europa League – Quarter Final – Second Leg – Olympique de Marseille v Benfica – Orange Velodrome, Marseille, France – April 18, 2024 Olympique de Marseille’s Faris Moumbagna scores their first goal REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

The hosts broke the deadlock 11 minutes from time through Moumbagna’s close-range header off Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cross from the left.

The Ligue 1 side will take on Atalanta in the semi-finals, who went down 1-0 at home to Liverpool but progressed with a 3-1 aggregate win after their shock victory at Anfield last week.

(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Christian Radnedge)

Soccer Football – Europa League – Quarter Final – Second Leg – Olympique de Marseille v Benfica – Orange Velodrome, Marseille, France – April 18, 2024 Olympique de Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba is shown a yellow card by referee Felix Zwayer REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

Soccer Football – Europa League – Quarter Final – Second Leg – Olympique de Marseille v Benfica – Orange Velodrome, Marseille, France – April 18, 2024 Benfica’s Angel Di Maria in action with Olympique de Marseille’s Emran Soglo REUTERS/Manon Cruz