Champions League roundup: Jude Bellingham strikes as Real beat Braga

  • 10/24/2023
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Real Madrid’s Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham scored in each half to secure a 2-1 win at Braga to keep their side three points clear at the top of Group C. The Spanish side dominated from the start and opened the scoring in the 16th minute, Vinícius Júnior putting the ball on a plate for Rodrygo to strike from close range. Real missed several chances to extend their lead mainly through Vinícius who was often caught offside by an extremely high Braga defensive line. But they managed to score again when Rodrygo beat the offside trap and found Vinícius ghosting behind the defence. He collected the through ball and passed to Bellingham who, from the edge of the box, slotted an effortless curling strike inside the far post. It was Bellingham’s 11th goal in 12 games in all competitions as he became only the second Real Madrid player to score in each of his first three Champions League games after Christian Karembeu in 1998. Braga pulled one back when Álvaro Djaló took advantage of a defensive mistake to score but Real held on despite late pressure thanks to two brilliant save by Kepa Arrizabalaga. Napoli’s Giacomo Raspadori scored a second-half goal to secure a 1-0 victory at Union Berlin, stretching their opponents’ losing run to nine straight games in all competitions. In a match that had few highlights, the German side enjoyed the better chances in the first half but it was a run by Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia down the left that decided the game as he set up Raspadori to fire home the winner. Bayern Munich soaked up intense pressure from Galatasaray for more than 70 minutes before striking twice to carve out a 3-1 victory that kept them firmly top of Group A on nine points. The German champions unusually found themselves on the back foot with Galatasaray carving out 20 attacks to their six and the two sides were locked at 1-1 at half-time, Kingsley Coman’s opener cancelled out by Mauro Icardi’s penalty. However Harry Kane scored in the 73rd minute and Jamal Musiala added another six minutes later to snap Galatasaray’s 23-match unbeaten run across all competitions. “It’s my first time in this stadium and I’m just about getting my hearing back now,” Kane said. “Thankfully, we were able to come through it today.” Elsewhere in the group, Manchester United beat Copenhagen 1-0 to earn their first points of the campaign. Internazionale extended their unbeaten start in Group D with a 2-1 win over Red Bull Salzburg at San Siro. Oscar Gloukh gave the Austrians hope when he cancelled out an opener from Alexis Sánchez but Hakan Calhanoglu’s second-half penalty extended the fine form of Simone Inzaghi’s side. Brais Méndez’s 63rd-minute strike earned Real Sociedad a 1-0 win at Benfica. Arsenal won 2-1 against Sevilla, and the Premier League team’s chances of qualifying were improved by Lens and PSV Eindhoven drawing 1-1 in the other Group B game. Johan Bakayoko put visitors PSV ahead in the second half but Elye Wahi equalised for the hosts shortly afterwards.

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