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

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 much than a hr pinch 14 men, booked their spot successful nan semi-finals of nan Challenge Cup pinch a pulsating and thrilling 43-40 triumph complete Connacht.

Bundee Aki's people and 2 Cian Prednergast tries helped Connacht into a 28-24 lead successful an end-to-end opening 40 minutes pinch 8 tries successful Galway.

After effort scorer Wame Naituvi was sent disconnected successful nan 14th infinitesimal for a mediocre tackle connected Finn Treacy, that besides led to a punishment try, Diego Escobar, Nolann le Garrec and Josua Tuisova brought Racing backmost into nan game.

The French broadside roared into nan lead successful nan 2nd half arsenic Le Garrec touched down and besides kicked 2 penalties either broadside of Owen Farrell's driblet goal.

Tries from Ben Murphy and Cathal Forde group up a tense last minute, but Racing held connected and will now look Lyon for a spot successful nan final.

There were 8 tries and a reddish paper successful a first half that will unrecorded agelong successful nan representation connected nan westbound seashore of Ireland.

Connacht made nan cleanable commencement arsenic Ireland centre Aki crossed successful nan 3rd infinitesimal and JJ Hanrahan landed nan conversion.

Racing deed consecutive backmost done Naituvi but Lancaster missed nan conversion, and that was punished arsenic Prendergast scored his first effort of nan crippled to headdress disconnected a chaotic opening 10 minutes.

After scoring Racing's try, Naituvi made interaction pinch nan caput of Treacy, who was forced into touch arsenic he looked to crushed nan shot but, aft a TMO check, nan Fijian was sent disconnected and Connacht were awarded a punishment effort pinch 12 minutes played.

Escobar and Le Garrec brought Racing backmost into nan crippled pinch 2 speedy scores, but nan hosts responded arsenic backmost statement Prendergast raced complete for his 2nd effort pinch 30 minutes played.

However, nan French Top14 broadside refused to spell distant and, moments aft Le Garrec went close, Lancaster converted Josua Tuisova's effort to bring Racing wrong 4 points astatine nan break.

The thrills of nan first half were ever going to beryllium difficult to replicate and nan scoring was surely astatine a slower gait aft nan restart.

Lancaster, boy of erstwhile England caput coach Stuart, landed a punishment to bring Racing to wrong 1 constituent and nan crippled turned erstwhile Le Garrec scored his 2nd effort of nan game, and Lancaster converted.

Farrell, who had conscionable travel disconnected nan bench, landed a driblet extremity and 2 penalties from Le Garrec, who had taken complete kicking duties aft nan withdrawal of Lancaster, moved Racing further clear pinch 15 minutes to play.

Le Garrec past missed a footwear and that was instantly punished by Murphy, who spotted a spread and ran 40 metres to people pinch 7 minutes remaining.

Hanrahan pushed nan conversion wide, but nan fly-half added nan extras arsenic Forde group up a grandstand decorativeness pinch a effort pinch 2 minutes remaining aft Farrell was yellowish carded for a no-arms tackle.

However, Racing secured nan shot for nan last infinitesimal and booked their spot successful nan semi-finals, wherever they will look Lyon astatine nan opening 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.