Benfica snatched a dramatic draw in a match they seemed destined to lose. Down to ten men, the Portuguese runners-up clawed their way back to a 2-2 draw against Argentina’s legendary side Boca Juniors in one of the most intense games of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

The contest in Riyadh had everything — goals, red cards, controversy, and raw emotion. Sparks flew from the first whistle, and referee intervention became frequent, with three players seeing red over the course of the match.

Heading into the clash, Benfica were clear favourites. Their technical edge, superior squad depth, and possession-based style had many predicting a straightforward win. And for the first 20 minutes, that script held true. The Portuguese side dominated possession and created several promising openings — it seemed a goal was a matter of time.

But football, as ever, had other ideas. With their very first real attack, Miguel Merentiel stunned Benfica by darting in front of Nicolás Otamendi to slot home a low cross past debutant goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. It was 1-0 to Boca Juniors — and they weren’t done.

Just six minutes later, the South Americans doubled their lead. From a well-worked corner, Rodrigo Battaglia powered a header into the net, punishing a disorganised Benfica defence that has looked shaky all season. 2-0 down before the half-hour mark — the dream start for Boca, a nightmare for Benfica.

However, just before the break, the tide turned. Veteran defender Otamendi, eager to make amends, drew a foul inside the box. The referee pointed to the spot, and Ángel Di María converted with ice-cold composure to make it 2-1. Suddenly, the second half promised fireworks — and it delivered.

Benfica’s hopes took a severe hit when Andrea Belotti was sent off for a reckless challenge, his studs catching an opponent’s head in a dangerous aerial duel. Down to ten men, the Portuguese giants looked set to fold.

But then came a moment of brilliance — or rather, experience. Once again, it was Otamendi who rose above the rest, literally, heading in a perfectly delivered free-kick to level the match at 2-2. Benfica, despite being a man down, had clawed back from the brink.

The scoreline held, and both teams now look ahead to their remaining group stage clashes. Up next, a seemingly straightforward encounter against Auckland City, followed by a likely group-decider against Bayern Munich. With the standings tight, goal difference could prove crucial — and in that respect, Boca might just have the edge, especially with their final match coming against the semi-professionals from New Zealand.

2025 FIFA Club World Cup

Boca Juniors - Benfica 2:2 (2:1)
Goals: Merentiel, 21 (1:0); Battaglia R., 27 (2:0); Di Maria, 45 (penalty) (2:1); Otamendi, 84 (2:2)

Boca Juniors: Marchesín; Blanco La.; Costa; Figal (till 89); Battaglia R.; Zenón; Herrera (Belmonte, 20); Velasco (Giménez M., 58); Advincula; Palacios C. (Alarcón, 66); Merentiel (Zeballos, 66)
Bench: Brey; García Javier; Blondel; Rojo; Saracchi; Fabra; Miramon I.; Braida; Janson; Aguirre
Yellow Cards: Palacios C. 66; Costa 85
Red cards: Herrera 45', Figal 89'

Benfica: Trubin; Dahl (Belotti, 46); Otamendi; Silva A.; Fernandez Ál.; Bruma (Aktürkoglu, 61); Di Maria (Prestianni, 77); Pavlidis E.; Sanches R. (Kökçü, 61); Florentino (Barreiro L., 90); Aursnes
Bench: Andre Gomes; Bajrami Adrian; Leandro Santos; Oliveira; Prioste; Rego Joao; Schjelderup; Gouveia Tiago
Yellow Cards: Fernandez Ál. 68; Pavlidis E. 83
Red cards: Belotti 72'