Futsal Champions League quarter-final second-leg round-up: Cartagena, Etoile Lavalloise, Palma, Sporting in finals

Cartagena Costa Cálida, Etoile Lavalloise, holders Illes Balears Palma and two-time winners Sporting CP are through to May's UEFA Futsal Champions League finals in Pesaro.

The four teams came through the new quarter-final round for which all four second legs were on Friday. The ties were set by the round of 16, the other two-legged knockout stage replacing the elite round from this season.

Palma are aiming for four titles in as many entries, but did suffer a European defeat of the first time at the hands of Riga Futsal Club, though still came through on aggregate. Sporting are into the post-2006/07 finals for a record 12th time and have set a new mark by making it six years running; they hit four goals in the first six minutes to more than overturn a 4-3 deficit from a pulsating first leg against Benfica, only for the Eagles to hit back before finally being edged out by their Lisbon rivals and fellow former champions.

Last season's bronze-medalists Cartagena avenged their 2024/25 semi-final defeat on debut by two-time champions Kairat Almaty. Etoile defeated Semey in typically exciting fashion to become only the second French semi-finalists after ACCS Asnières Villeneuve 92 in 2021/22.

The quarter-final winners qualify for the knockout finals at Pesaro Futsal Arena in Italy, taking place from 8 to 10 May. The finals draw will be made at 12:00 CET on Tuesday 17 March at the Preffetura di Pesaro, setting the knockout last-four ties.

Sporting CP 7-4 Benfica (agg: 10-8)

Benfica equalised three times before winning 4-3 with one second to go in a pulsating first leg, and the return kept the drama going. Sporting keeper Bernardo Paçó advanced up the wing and wiped out Benfica's advantage in the opening minute; a Zicky strike was then blocked by the hand of former Sporting player Pany Varela; he was sent off and Bruno Pinto converted the penalty, before Wesley França made it 3-0 and Tomás Paçó was set up by Zicky for the fourth.

Silvestre Ferreira and Arthur reduced the visitors' aggregate deficit to one before the break and just 23 seconds after the interval Benfica were level in the tie, André Coelho pouncing on a loose ball. Tomás Paçó responded but then Peleh levelled matters again. However, Sporting restored their advantage as Diogo Santos applied the finishing touch to Merlim's shot, Arthur was then dismissed for Benfica and Bruno Pinto exploited the power play with a 30th-minute curling effort.

Riga Futsal Club 1-0 Illes Balears Palma (agg: 5-7)

Holders Palma are into the finals again in their search for a fourth title in as many entries, but suffered defeat in a Futsal Champions League game for the first time, their 30-game unbeaten run ending one short of the record for any UEFA club competition, held by OL Lyonnes in the UEFA Women's Champions League. Riga, who lost the first leg 7-4 but gave themselves hope by reducing arrears late on, matched Palma all the way in the return.

With just under eight minutes to go, Riga, already missing suspended Daniel Airoso, had Dylan Vargas sent off after receiving his second booking. They survived the two-minute power play with help from goalkeeper Diego Roncaglio and, with 33 seconds left, on a quick counter, Artjoms Kozlovskis' shot deflected in off Palma's Deivão to give Riga the consolation of a famous win on the night.

Cartagena Costa Cálida 7-4 Kairat Almaty (agg: 9-5)

Cartagena came from behind to win the first leg 2-1 against the team that beat them in last year's semi-finals, and less than four minutes in the Spanish champions extended their aggregate advantage when Francisco Cortés slipped through Pablo Ramirez to produce some brilliant footwork to bamboozle the Kairat defence and score. Gabriel Motta made it 2-0 in the seventh minute after Waltinho's cross and Pablo Ramirez struck again with a thunderbolt finish.

Dauren Tursagulov, on as flying goalkeeper, pulled one back for Kairat at the start of the second half but Muhammad Osamanmusa soon responded for Cartagena after a quick counter. Cartagena goalkeeper Chispi's punt hit the crossbar and Waltinho put in the rebound, though Edson shot home for Kairat, who had Athirson Silva sent off late on. Motta scored during the power play before an immediate Hugo Neves reply and further consolation by Tursagulov before Waltinho's final-second goal began Cartagena's celebrations in earnest.

Semey 2-3 Etoile Lavalloise (agg: 7-9)

Etoile came back from 4-1 down to win the first leg 5-4 but that aggregate lead was wiped out in the second minute of the return when Marcelo's corner was deflected into his own net by Soufiane El Mesrar. There were chances at both end but Semey went ahead in the tie in the 27th minute as Rodriguinho played Kamil Gereykhanov through to slip the ball past Louis Marquet.

However, Etoile, who also came from behind to beat Semey in the main round as well as the first leg of this tie, levelled in the 32nd minute when Ouassini Guirio pounced on a loose ball, rounded Higuita and shot in, and 66 seconds later first-half hat-trick scorer Bilal Bakkali won the ball on halfway, advanced and restored Etoile's aggregate advantage. And in the final minute, Bakkali intercepted a pass and tapped in, meaning that for the third time this season he had scored a late winner against Semey.