Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring the workforce’s second aim through the UEFA Champions League match between SSC Napoli and Real Madrid CF at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on October 03, 2023 in Naples, Italy.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images
It was an English participant’s evening within the Champions League, at the same time as each of the English groups in motion misplaced.
Jude Bellingham made the distinction once more for Real Madrid in an exciting 3-2 win at Napoli on Tuesday as Manchester United and Arsenal had been overwhelmed by Galatasaray and Lens, respectively.
Nine video games into his Real Madrid profession and Jude Bellingham is quick changing into the workforce’s star attraction.
The England midfielder assisted Vinicius Junior for one aim to stage the rating at 1-1 after which tore aside the Italian champion’s protection on his personal to attain. Even then, it wanted an own-goal from Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret — after some unlucky deflections — handy Madrid the win.
It was the second Champions League recreation in a row the place Bellingham performed an important function for Madrid after scoring the successful aim towards Union Berlin. The 20-year-old participant has eight objectives and three assists thus far this season since becoming a member of Madrid from Borussia Dortmund.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti paid tribute to Bellingham, saying he discovered it exhausting to consider the midfielder was nonetheless solely 20.
English groups lose
Manchester United and Arsenal each misplaced to groups whose higher days in European soccer had been within the late Nineties and early 2000s — earlier than Bellingham was born.
A 3-2 loss at residence to Galatasaray regardless of two objectives from Rasmus Højlund — United’s sixth defeat in 10 video games in all competitions — means extra stress on supervisor Erik ten Hag.
In the house of 10 minutes, United gave up a 2-1 lead and had midfielder Casemiro despatched off as Ten Hag’s workforce fell aside late towards its Turkish opponent. Galatasaray scored within the 71st, gained a penalty and missed it — with Casemiro choosing up a second yellow card within the course of — then scored once more within the 81st. The successful aim was scored by Mauro Icardi, who had missed the spot kick shortly earlier than.
That leaves United backside of its group and 4 factors behind Galatasaray in second place. United has conceded seven objectives in its opening two Champions League video games after shedding its opener 4-3 to Bayern Munich final month.
Elye Wahi scored one aim and arrange one other to propel Lens to a 2-1 win over Arsenal. Arsenal had the lead by way of Gabriel Jesus’ 14th-minute aim earlier than Wahi assisted Adrien Thomasson within the twenty fifth after which scored himself with a chip within the 69th. Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice stated his workforce “missed some large probabilities,” but is “just warming up and getting into our rhythm” at this stage of the season.
Arsenal’s victory over PSV Eindhoven last time out was a landmark — a win in its first Champions League game since the 2016-17 season — but the wait for Lens was much longer. The French team last won a Champions League game back in 2002 against AC Milan and hadn’t qualified for Europe’s top club competition again until this season.
Winning run
Bayern kept up its record winning run in the Champions League group stage — now at 15 games going back to 2020 — but it was a tricky feat in a 2-1 win over a determined Copenhagen team.
Bayern’s Jamal Musiala leveled the score after Lukas Lerager had given the Danish team the lead, and it was 18-year-old Mathys Tel who scored the winner after combining with 34-year-old teammate Thomas Müller. The action wasn’t over yet, and Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich had to dive to stop an own-goal deep into added time.
Bayern hasn’t lost for 36 group-stage games going back to 2017.
Heartbreak in Berlin
Two video games, two heartbreaking losses in stoppage time for Union Berlin. What an introduction to the Champions League!
The German membership misplaced its first-ever residence Champions League recreation 3-2 to Braga on a aim within the fourth minute of added time from André Castro, two weeks after a 1-0 loss at Madrid on an equally late aim from Jude Bellingham.
Union had been main 2-0 on two counterattack objectives from Sheraldo Becker, however let Braga again into the sport with two objectives after failing to clear set items earlier than the late winner from 35-year-old midfielder Castro. Madrid and Napoli are the opposite two groups within the group, that means Union’s qualifying probabilities have already taken a heavy blow.
The 2-2 draw between PSV and Sevilla had greater than its share of drama, with objectives within the 86th, 87th and fifth minute of stoppage time as PSV twice recovered from a aim down.
Real Sociedad had a smoother time because it picked up its first Champions League win for 20 years, beating Salzburg 2-0 on first-half objectives from Mikel Oyarzabal and Brais Méndez.
Marcus Thuram scored the one aim of the sport for final season’s Champions League runner-up Inter Milan in a 1-0 win over Benfica to maneuver stage on 4 factors with Sociedad on the high of their group.
Source web site: www.thehindu.com
