Highlights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fm8evPW8Ps?si=zFWKY-YdCU1o8Ysp
Oshoala scores stunning bicycle kick in Barcelona’s Champions League triumph over Benfica
Faruq Ibrahim • 23:18 – 14.11.2023
Asisat Oshoala came off the bench to score one of the goals of the Champions League group stages as Barcelona trounced Benfica.
Super Falcons ace Asisat Oshoala scored from her first touch of the game—and what a touch it was—an overhead kick to close off a 5-0 result for Barcelona in their Uefa Women’s Champions League clash against Benfica.
The Blaugrana Femeni started their UWCL title defence in remarkable fashion, running riot against Benfica at the Johann Cruyff Arena.
Their performance was powered by braces from the two Ballon d’Or winners in the side, Aitana Bomati and Alexia Putellas, but it was the Nigerian, Oshoala, who stole the headlines with her stunner on the hour mark.
How it happened
The Blaugrana struggled from the start, as Benfica’s women’s team came up with a game plan that they were executing efficiently until the 15th minute of the game.
The visitors were man-marking the Barcelona girls, and the usually expansive team struggled to string passes together. However, the defending champions soon found their footing and began to dictate proceedings.
This all began with a somewhat fortunate Putellas goal in the 15th minute, when the two-time Ballon d’Or winner was on hand to head in a rebound. She made it two in the 39th minute, knocking in an Esmee Brugts goal-bound header.
Aitana made it three just before half-time. She carried the ball for half the length of the pitch before finding Graham Hansen in space. The Norwegian squared it back to her, and with still a lot to do, Bonmati sat her marker down before calmly finding the bottom corner.
Bonmati combined with Hansen again for the fourth, this time a one-time finish to bury the ball into the back of the net. Oshoala came on in the 60th minute and only one minute later, with her first touch, she scored the pick of the bunch.
The Nigerian was well positioned in the box to receive Hansen’s cross, and when she deemed the height of the delivery too low for a headed attempt, she opted for the spectacular and fired a bicycle kick that sliced through Benfica’s Lena Pauels.