Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica shared the spoils on Tuesday night following a pulsating battle in the Champions League at the Parc des Princes.
Both sides went into the Group H clash aware that a victory would send them into the knock-out stages following Maccabi Haifa's 2-0 victory over Juventus in the early evening kick-off.
And they both started confidently.
Kylian Mbappé's surge into the box brought up PSG's first corner after 10 minutes.
But Benfica responded with plenty of possession of their own. Rafa Silva served notice with a snap shot that flew over the PSG bar after patient build-up play from the visitors.
Midway through the half, Neymar released Mbappé who veered in on goal until Nicolas Otamendi upended him.
Effort
After a yellow card for the Benfica defender, Neymar lined up the free-kick but drove the shot into the Benfica wall.
It was the augur though for sustained PSG pressure which resulted in the first crack.
Marco Verratti's weighted pass sent Juan Bernat arrowing towards the by-line but as he shaped to cut the ball back, Antonio Silva scythed him down to concede the penalty.
Mbappé drove the spot kick low to the right of the Benfica goalkeeper Odisseas Vlachodimos for a deserved .
Six days ago in Lisbon, Lionel Messi had struck the opener for PSG at the Estadio da Luz before the hosts levelled.
Challenge
The challenge without Messi - missing due a calf strain - was to hold on to the lead.
And for the second time against the Portuguese league leaders, PSG could not do it.
Verratti gave Benfica a route back into the tie with a poor challenge on Rafa Silva in the penalty area.
Joao Mario thrashed the kick high past the PSG goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma for the equaliser.
When PSG coach Christophe Galtier sent on Carlos Soler for Mbappé, it was effectively an admission that a draw would suffice.
PSG can book their place in the last-16 on 25 October when they host Maccabi Haifa while Benfica host Juventus on the same evening.
Elsewhere in the competition, in Group F, holders Real Madrid drew 1-1 at Shakhtar Donetsk to remain top of the pool. RB Leipzig moved up to second following a 2-0 win at Celtic.
Chelsea took control of Group E with a 2-0 win at AC Milan who were reduced to 10 men after 18 minutes when Fikayo Tomori was handed a straight red card for a foul on Mason Mount.
Jorginho and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored for the Londoners who have seven points after four games.
RB Leipzig are second on six points following a 1-1 draw with Dinamo Zagreb. Milan and Dinamo both have four points but the Italians stay third due to their better head-to-head record.
