Connacht out as 14-man Racing win 11-try thriller

Owen Farrell came off the bench to land a drop goal as Racing 92 held on for a narrow win in Galway

Connacht (28) 40

Tries: Aki, Prendergast 2, Penalty try, Murphy, Forde Cons: Hanrahan 4

Racing 92 (24) 43

Tries: Naituvi, Escobar, Le Garrec 2, Tuisova Cons: Lancaster 2, Le Garrec Pens: Lancaster, Le Garrec 2 Drop goal: Farrell

Racing 92, who played more than a hour with 14 men, booked their place in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup with a pulsating and thrilling 43-40 win over Connacht.

Bundee Aki's score and two Cian Prednergast tries helped Connacht into a 28-24 lead in an end-to-end opening 40 minutes with eight tries in Galway.

After try scorer Wame Naituvi was sent off in the 14th minute for a poor tackle on Finn Treacy, that also led to a penalty try, Diego Escobar, Nolann le Garrec and Josua Tuisova brought Racing back into the game.

The French side roared into the lead in the second half as Le Garrec touched down and also kicked two penalties either side of Owen Farrell's drop goal.

Tries from Ben Murphy and Cathal Forde set up a tense final minute, but Racing held on and will now face Lyon for a place in the final.

Eight tries in first half

There were eight tries and a red card in a first half that will live long in the memory on the west coast of Ireland.

Connacht made the perfect start as Ireland centre Aki crossed in the third minute and JJ Hanrahan landed the conversion.

Racing hit straight back through Naituvi but Lancaster missed the conversion, and that was punished as Prendergast scored his first try of the game to cap off a chaotic opening 10 minutes.

After scoring Racing's try, Naituvi made contact with the head of Treacy, who was forced into touch as he looked to ground the ball but, after a TMO check, the Fijian was sent off and Connacht were awarded a penalty try with 12 minutes played.

Escobar and Le Garrec brought Racing back into the game with two quick scores, but the hosts responded as back row Prendergast raced over for his second try with 30 minutes played.

However, the French Top14 side refused to go away and, moments after Le Garrec went close, Lancaster converted Josua Tuisova's try to bring Racing within four points at the break.

Wame Naituvi was sent off for a head-on-head tackle on Finn Treacy as the Connacht wing was about to score in the 13th minute

Racing hold off late fightback

The thrills of the first half were always going to be hard to replicate and the scoring was certainly at a slower pace after the restart.

Lancaster, son of former England head coach Stuart, landed a penalty to bring Racing to within one point and the game turned when Le Garrec scored his second try of the game, and Lancaster converted.

Farrell, who had just come off the bench, landed a drop goal and two penalties from Le Garrec, who had taken over kicking duties after the withdrawal of Lancaster, moved Racing further clear with 15 minutes to play.

Le Garrec then missed a kick and that was immediately punished by Murphy, who spotted a gap and ran 40 metres to score with seven minutes remaining.

Hanrahan pushed the conversion wide, but the fly-half added the extras as Forde set up a grandstand finish with a try with two minutes remaining after Farrell was yellow carded for a no-arms tackle.

However, Racing secured the ball for the final minute and booked their place in the semi-finals, where they will face Lyon at the beginning of May.

Connacht: Hansen; Jennings, Gavin, Aki, Treacy; Hanrahan, B Murphy; Buckley, Heffernan, Bealham, J Murphy, Joyce, Prendergast (capt), Hurley-Langton, Jansen.

Replacements: Tierney-Martin, Dooley, Aungier, Dowling, Boyle, Devine, Ioane, Forde.

Racing 92: James; Naituvi, Habosi, Tuisova, Spring (capt); Lancaster, Le Garrec; Ben Arous, Escobar, Bamba, Palu, Rowlands, Baudonne, Kpoku, Joseph.

Replacements: Couly, Gogichashvili, Leota, R Taofifenua, Manyarara, D Taofifenua, Farrell, Chavancy.