In late August, Porto kicked off their 2003–04 European season with a loss in the 2003 UEFA Super Cup match against the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League winners, Milan. Two weeks later, they began their 2003–04 UEFA Champions League campaign in a group comprising Real Madrid, Marseille, and Partizan. Porto qualified for the knockout phase as group runners-up, behind Real Madrid, who inflicted their only group stage defeat. The draw for the round of 16 paired Porto with Manchester United, with the first leg taking place in Portugal. In the first European club competition match at the Estádio do Dragão, Porto won 2–1 with goals from Benni McCarthy.&lt;ref name="2003/04"&gt;&lt;/ref&gt; At Old Trafford, Paul Scholes put the English side ahead in the match and in the round (advantage on away goals). On the brink of elimination, Porto earned a free kick in the 90th minute; McCarthy's shot was blocked near the line by goalkeeper Tim Howard, but Costinha caught the rebound and scored the equaliser that took Porto through to the next round. In the quarter-finals, they overcame another French team (Lyon) to advance to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 1994. Porto faced Deportivo La Coruña, who had convincingly eliminated the previous season's finalists, Juventus and Milan. A goalless first leg match in Portugal postponed the decision to the Estadio Riazor, where a penalty kick converted by Derlei confirmed Porto's second major European final in two consecutive seasons. The other finalists were AS Monaco, who had eliminated Real Madrid and Chelsea.