Di Maria scores from corner as Benfica finish third
Angel Di Maria's (not shown) near-post corner beat everyone before going in at the far post
Angel di Maria scored directly from a corner as Benfica beat Red Bull Salzburg 3-1 to secure third place in their Champions League group and qualify for the Europa League.
Di Maria also set up Rafa Silva to give Benfica the two-goal lead they needed to leapfrog Salzburg into third.
Luka Sucic pulled a goal back after the break but Arthur Cabral struck in stoppage time to send Benfica through.
Real Sociedad won the group after a goalless draw with Inter Milan.
At 35 years and 301 days, former Manchester United winger Di Maria is now the second oldest Argentinian scorer in the Champions League, surpassing Lionel Messi, who was 35 years and 123 days old when he scored for Paris St-Germain in 2022.
Former defender Javier Zanetti was 37 when he scored in Inter Milan's 4-3 win over Tottenham in 2010.
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Elsewhere, Sevilla are out of Europe completely after they finished bottom of Group B following defeat at Lens, who qualify for the Europa League.
Przemyslaw Frankowski's penalty put Lens ahead but Sergio Ramos equalised with a spot-kick of his own to become the Champions League's all-time top-scoring defender with 17.
Sevilla needed to win to leapfrog Lens but it was the French side who grabbed the winner in stoppage time through Angelo Fulgini.
It means seven-time Europa League winners Sevilla will not play European competition in the second half of the season for the first time since 2013.
Arsenal, who had already secured top spot in Group B, drew 1-1 with second-placed PSV Eindhoven.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsRB Salzburg
Formation 4-1-2-1-2
24Schlager6Baidoo4Piatkowski31Pavlovic70Dedic27Gourna-Douath18Bidstrup10Sucic30Gloukh45Dorgeles21Ratkov
- 24SchlagerBooked at 90mins6Baidoo4Piatkowski31Pavlovic70Dedic27Gourna-DouathBooked at 10mins18BidstrupSubstituted forSimicat 90+5'minutes10Sucic30GloukhSubstituted forKameriat 82'minutesBooked at 82mins45DorgelesSubstituted forKoïtaat 55'minutes21RatkovBooked at 51minsSubstituted forDos Santos Pedroat 55'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Mantl5Okoh8Kameri11Dos Santos Pedro15Diambou17Ulmer19Konaté20Koïta23Simic32Forson39Morgalla41Krumrey
Benfica
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Trubin8Aursnes44Lemos Araújo30Otamendi5Rodrigues da Silva87Gonçalves Neves10Kökçü11Di María27Fernandes Ferreira da Silva20João Mário19Tengstedt
- 1Trubin8Aursnes44Lemos Araújo30Otamendi5Rodrigues da SilvaBooked at 45mins87Gonçalves Neves10KökçüSubstituted forGonçalo Guedesat 68'minutes11Di María27Fernandes Ferreira da SilvaSubstituted forMorris Luísat 90+4'minutes20João MárioSubstituted forMendonça Cabralat 90+1'minutes19TengstedtSubstituted forMusaat 45'minutesBooked at 72mins
Substitutes
- 9Mendonça Cabral13Jurásek17Gonçalo Guedes22Lima Silva Machado24Jumpe Soares33Musa38da Silva Marcelino45Kokubo47Antunes Gouveia61Morris Luís
Referee:Daniel SiebertAttendance:27,134Match StatsHome TeamRB SalzburgAway TeamBenficaPossessionHome44%Away56%ShotsHome19Away18Shots on TargetHome6Away6CornersHome2Away6FoulsHome8Away8Live Text Post update
Match ends, FC Red Bull Salzburg 1, Benfica 3.
90'+6'Full Time
Second Half ends, FC Red Bull Salzburg 1, Benfica 3.
90'+6'Post update
Attempt saved. Ángel Di María (Benfica) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Petar Musa.
90'+5'Substitution
Substitution, FC Red Bull Salzburg. Roko Simic replaces Mads Bidstrup.
90'+5'Post update
Attempt missed. Sékou Koïta (FC Red Bull Salzburg) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
90'+4'Substitution
Substitution, Benfica. Florentino replaces Rafa.
90'+2'goalGoal!
Goal! FC Red Bull Salzburg 1, Benfica 3. Arthur Cabral (Benfica) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Fredrik Aursnes.
90'+1'Substitution
Substitution, Benfica. Arthur Cabral replaces João Mário.
90'Booking
Alexander Schlager (FC Red Bull Salzburg) is shown the yellow card.
90'Post update
Corner, Benfica. Conceded by Mads Bidstrup.
89'Post update
Attempt missed. Fernando (FC Red Bull Salzburg) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Sékou Koïta following a fast break.
88'Post update
Ángel Di María (Benfica) wins a free kick on the right wing.
88'Post update
Foul by Fernando (FC Red Bull Salzburg).
86'Post update
Attempt missed. Sékou Koïta (FC Red Bull Salzburg) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high.
85'Post update
Foul by João Neves (Benfica).
85'Post update
Dijon Kameri (FC Red Bull Salzburg) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84'Post update
Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84'Post update
Foul by Sékou Koïta (FC Red Bull Salzburg).
83'Post update
Attempt missed. João Neves (Benfica) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Gonçalo Guedes.
82'Booking
Dijon Kameri (FC Red Bull Salzburg) is shown the yellow card.
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Source: bbc.com
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