Sports

Jude Bellingham heads home his 15th goal in 16 games and then sets up Joselu to seal victory as Spanish giants seal top spot in their Champions League group

Two late goals by 19-year-old Nico Paz and Joselu gave Real Madrid a 4-2 fightback win against Napoli on Wednesday, securing the top spot in Champions League Group C with one round of matches remaining.

The 14-times champions, who had already secured qualification to the last 16, maintained their 100% record and have 15 points from five games, eight points ahead of the Italian champions.

Napoli, second on seven points, need a draw in their final game against Braga, third on four points, to qualify for the knockout stage.

Union Berlin are bottom on two points after a 1-1 draw against Braga earlier on Wednesday.

Real started well but were surprised by a quick counter-attack by the visitors, with Giovanni Di Lorenzo assisting Giovanni Simeone to open the scoring with a close-range strike in the ninth minute that at first sight looked like it had been saved by goalkeeper Andryi Lunin.

Jude Bellingham scored his 15th goal in 16 appearances for Real Madrid on Wednesday night

Bellingham headed home from a superb cross by in the 22nd minute

The referee let it stand as the goal-line technology confirmed that the ball had fractionally crossed the line.

Real hit back quickly, with Rodrygo equalising with a fine shot into the top corner two minutes later, and they went ahead with a Jude Bellingham header in the 22nd.

It was Bellingham’s 15th goal in 16 games in all competitions for Real Madrid this season, making him the first player in the club’s history to score in each of his first four European Cup games.

The Englishman has outdone last season’s tally of 14 in 42 games with Borussia Dortmund and has surpassed the achievements of Real heroes Cristiano Ronaldo, Alfredo Di Stefano and Pruden Sanchez, who scored 13 goals in their first 15 games, and Ferenc Puskas, who had 11.

‘He’s spectacular in getting into the box, he comes into the box like a motorbike,’ Real manager Carlo Ancelotti told Movistar Plus.

‘It’s surprising because nobody could have imagined such fast adaptation here, to this club and the football he is showing. He surprises the fans, team mates and even rivals.’

Real kept pressing and Brahim Diaz could have extended their lead in the 31st minute but his shot went just wide.

However, Napoli made the most of the first chance they had after the break with Frank Anguissa levelling the game from a rebound in the 47th minute, while Real suffered with several wasted chances by substitute Joselu, including an absolute sitter from close range in the 79th.

It was another substitute, academy midfielder Paz, who gave Real the lead again with a stunner from outside the box in the 84th minute.

Giovanni Simeone opened the scoring for the visitors with a close-range strike

Rodrygo equalising with a fine shot into the top corner two minutes later

Frank Anguissa levelled the game from a rebound two minutes after the break

Teenager midfielder Nico Paz scored his first goal for Real Madrid in the 84th minute

Bellingham set up striker Joselu to score the fourth goal in added time against Napoli

Joselu ended up scoring the fourth goal with a tap-in in added time.

‘It was a difficult, complicated match,’ manager Carlo Ancelotti told Movistar Plus.

‘But during the most difficult part of the match we found the energy to win. The last 20 minutes were very good and changed the dynamic.

‘We fought and competed until the end and we achieved our objective of finishing top of the group. Now, let’s get some rest, we need it.’

Related Posts

“[Greg Norman] Would Go Absolutely Apesh*t at Me”: Ex-Caddie, Who Claimed Tiger Woods Treated Him Like a “Slave”, Once Revealed

You might know Steve Williams as a former caddie for Tiger Woods. He was on Woods’s bag from 1999 to 2011. During their time together, Woods won 63 PGA Tour…

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s golf league announces new recruit who will play defining role

TGL, the tech-infused golf league being pioneered by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, will launch in just a few months and fans have been given a glimpse at…

Amanda Balionis reveals she was left shaking over Tiger Woods interview which caused her to lose sleep

Amanda Balionis revealed that she was visibly shaking when she first interviewed Tiger Woods early into her days as a reporter for the PGA Tour. Speaking to Links Magazine, Balionis recalled…

Tom Kim issues apology after criticism from golf fans for breaking unwritten PGA Tour rule

Tom Kim has issued an apology after the PGA Tour star was criticized for hitting his putter into a green during the final round of the FedEx St….

‘Losing to [Phil Mickelson] Doesn’t Feel Very Good’: Tiger Woods Exposed Tense Equation With LIV Golfer Years Before Their Rift

In the field of golf, there is no doubt that one of the most exciting rivalries that has been witnessed is that between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Their rivalry in…

Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning receives Tiger Woods text about hole-in-one

Dan Lanning recently made his first hole-in-one at the Pebble Beach Par-3 course. Dan Lanning and his Oregon football team will begin their 2024 season on August 31st at home against…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *