LAST UPDATE | 20 Sep 2023

JUDE BELLINGHAM RESCUED Real Madrid with a 94th-minute strike to earn the Spanish giants a 1-0 win over Champions League debutants Union Berlin. 

Carlo Ancelotti’s side, 14-time winners of the competition, were thwarted at every turn by their stubborn German opponents, who were only promoted to the Bundesliga four years ago, until Bellingham prodded home at the death.

The England international has started his Madrid career in stunning goalscoring form with six goals in six games for the club across all competitions.

Madrid seemed destined to take only a point after Union Berlin goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow frustrated them and Rodrygo and Joselu both hit the woodwork.

Real Madrid have only failed to score in one of their last 68 home matches in the Champions League, and on few occasions at the Santiago Bernabeu have they seemed as toothless as in the first half.

Without injured forward Vinicius Junior the Madrid attack has lacked dynamism in recent weeks, even as midfielder Bellingham’s goals have earned them a 100 percent record in La Liga after five games.

Despite Madrid’s illustrious history, the visitors were calm, composed and above all, well-drilled defensively, under Swiss coach Urs Fischer. Perhaps it should have been no surprise, with veteran Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci making his debut at the back for the visitors.

The German side sat deep, surrendered the ball to Madrid and succeeded in frustrating the hosts. Joselu wasted Madrid’s best chance in the first half, heading narrowly wide, while his team-mates were reduced to pot-shots from distance.

Madrid turned the screw in the second half as the minutes ticked away, with Ronnow making a superb save to deny Rodrygo at the near post, before the Brazilian cracked another effort against the woodwork.

Berlin’s goalkeeper tipped Joselu header’s against the post, while also denying veteran midfielder Luka Modric, given a rare start by Ancelotti.

Union Berlin were living on a knife-edge in the final stages, with Joselu swinging a leg at Bellingham’s cross to direct the ball fractionally wide with Ronnow beaten.

Eventually Bellingham decided the game, in the right place at the right time as a deflected strike fell his way in the box and he stabbed home from point-blank range.

Madrid are joined on three points by Napoli after they escaped from Sporting Braga with a 2-1 win. A Sikou Niakate own goal handed the Italians the points in the final minutes.

Rudi Garcia’s side looked to be sharing the spoils in Portugal when Bruma flicked home a perfect header from Rodrigo Zalazar’s cross with six minutes remaining after Giovanni Di Lorenzo had opened the scoring for Napoli on the stroke of half-time.

But with two minutes to go Niakate thumped Piotr Zielinski’s cross into his own net to give Napoli the Group C win at a soaking Estadio Municipal.

Elsewhere, in Group D, Lautaro Martinez struck late to snatch last season’s runners-up Inter Milan a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad, denying the Spanish side a triumphant return to the competition after a decade away.

Brais Mendez’s early goal split the sides in San Sebastian for most of the night but the hosts spurned several opportunities to build on their lead in an intense showing that left Simone Inzaghi’s team bruised but not beaten.

The Basque side’s performance was all the more notable given Inter’s 5-1 derby thrashing of rivals AC Milan on Saturday which kept them top of Serie A.

Only Martinez’s cool finish after 87 minutes rescued the Italian side from a setback at the start of this campaign.

Meanwhile, in Group A, Galatasaray secured a dramatic 2-2 draw at home to FC Copenhagen. The Danish side took a two-goal lead – the second goal coming just before the hour mark – but then saw defender Elias Jelert sent off for a second yellow card with just less than 20 minutes remaining. 

Galatasaray broke their opponents’ resistance with goals in the 86th and 88th minutes, first through Sacha Boey and then through Brazilian winger Tete. 

– © AFP 2023