Super Falcons midfielder Christy Ucheibe endured a testing outing on Wednesday night as Benfica Women were defeated 3–1 by powerhouse Barcelona Femení in their UEFA Women’s Champions League league-phase encounter at the Estadi Johan Cruyff.
Ucheibe, deployed in an unfamiliar central defensive role, featured for the entire duration of the match but was involved in a costly moment that shifted the balance firmly toward the Spanish champions.
Barcelona controlled the early stages and eventually broke through in the 29th minute when Ewa Pajor clinically converted to give the hosts a deserved lead.
Benfica, however, came out strongly in the second half, and their efforts were rewarded when Chandra Davidson struck just two minutes after the restart to level the scores.
The equaliser briefly energised the Portuguese side, but their momentum faded in the 54th minute following an unfortunate incident for Ucheibe.
While attempting to cut out a dangerous pass from Alexia Putellas, the Nigerian midfielder inadvertently guided the ball into her own net, restoring Barcelona’s lead.
Barcelona capitalised on that setback almost immediately. In the 59th minute, Laia Aleixandri added a third goal, widening the gap and putting the contest beyond Benfica’s reach.
Benfica’s goalkeeper, Lena Pauels, ensured the defeat did not become heavier when she produced a fine stop in the 74th minute, diving low to keep out Putellas’ left-footed penalty and deny Barcelona a fourth.
Despite the spirited moments, Benfica were unable to recover and now slip to 15th place in the overall standings, outside the UWCL playoff positions.
Ucheibe, a key figure for the Super Falcons, will look to put the difficult night behind her as Benfica continue their push to stay alive in the competition.
