Champions League: Real Madrid edge Man City in five-goal thriller in play-off first leg


Manchester, Feb 12 (IANS): Jude Bellingham's late goal completed a stunning comeback from Real Madrid, who twice came from behind to clinch a narrow 3-2 first-leg advantage against Manchester City in the Champions League playoffs.

Erling Haaland's double – the second from the penalty spot with just over ten minutes remaining – either side of Kylian Mbappe's looping strike, appeared to have given City the edge. However, visiting sub Brahim Díaz was quickest to the rebound following an Ederson save to level against his former side, before Bellingham tapped in from close range after good work by Vinicius Jjnior to seal the win in a pulsating contest, Champions League reports.

The loss leave City needing to win by at least a goal in the second leg to at least level the aggregate scores and have any chance of progressing after a heart-breaking final seven minutes.

“Today was tight and in certain times we had chances. Many games at the end we give away. In that level it is so difficult. It is not the first time, it happens many times.

“There are mistakes in similar areas. It is difficult to manage. Players take decisions in the moment, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. We arrived in the last minute with the result but we could not keep it.

"There are many, many good things that we played. The result is what it is. Of course we did many good things, things can improve and always give credit for the opponent and the quality they have," said City boss Pep Guardiola.

Elsewhere, Serhou Guirassy's tenth goal of the campaign helped Borussia Dortmund secure a commanding 3-0 win in Lisbon.

After Maximiliano Araujo hit the crossbar from distance before half-time for Sporting, Guirassy headed in Julian Brandt's cross to open the scoring after 60 minutes.

Pascal Gross met Guirassy's delivery with a knee to register his first goal for Dortmund eight minutes later, and Karim Adeyemi completed a slick one-two with Brandt to slot in the third from a counterattack with eight minutes remaining.

 

 

  

Top Stories


Leave a Comment

Title: Champions League: Real Madrid edge Man City in five-goal thriller in play-off first leg



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.