UEFA Champions League: Benzema's 2nd half hat-trick against PSG sends Madrid to QFs

Real Madrid`s French forward Karim Benzema celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second league football match between Real Madrid CF and Paris Saint-Germain at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. Pic/AFP

Karim Benzema hit a hat-trick in the space of 18 second-half minutes as Real Madrid came from 2-0 down on aggregate to stun Paris Saint-Germain and seal a place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Kylian Mbappe's jet-heels were propelling Paris on a direct course to the last eight for the first hour in Madrid. The 23-year-old doubled the French side's advantage with his second of the tie and was looking unplayable, with two more efforts chalked off for offside.

Another goal appeared only a matter of time and it duly came - at the other end. Gianluigi Donnarumma dallied fatally and the opportunistic Benzema blocked, the ball spinning for Vinicius Junior, who duly returned it to his senior partner for a simple finish.

Fifteen minutes later, thanks to the abolition of away goals rule, the tie was level as Benzema collected Luka Modric's pass and fired in. If Paris had been rocking before they were all at sea now and Benzema completed the turnaround straight from the kick-off after another Vinicius Junior assist.

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