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PIX: Real Madrid down Braga; Arsenal, United win

October 25, 2023 11:46 IST

Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Tuesday.

Real Madrid ease past Braga

IMAGE: Jude Bellingham, left, celebrates with Nacho after scoring Real Madrid's second goal against Sporting Braga during the UEFA Champions League Group C match at Estadio Municipal de Braga on Tuesday. Photograph: Miguel Vidal/Reuters

Real Madrid's Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham scored in each half to secure a 2-1 win at Sporting Braga and keep their side three points clear atop Champions League Group C on Tuesday.

It was an affair that won't live long the memory on a cold rainy day in northern Portugal in which the Spanish giants dominated from the start and opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a close-range strike by Rodrygo.

 

Jet-heeled Vinicius Jr flew up the left wing and put the ball on a plate for his fellow Brazilian to tap in with a sliding first touch from inside the six-yard box.

Wasteful Real missed several chances to extend their lead mainly through Vinicius who was often caught offside playing on the shoulder of an extremely high Braga defensive line.

But they managed to score again in the 61st when Rodrygo beat the offside trap and found Vinicius ghosting behind the defence on the left.

He collected the through ball and passed to Bellingham who, from the edge of the box, slotted an effortless curling strike just inside the far post.

It was Bellingham's 10th goal in 11 games in all competitions this season 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.

IMAGE: Braga's Sikou Niakate, left, clashes with Real Madrid's Nacho as they tried to head the ball. Photograph: Miguel Vidal/Reuters

Braga did pull one back when Alvaro Djalo took advantage of a defensive mistake in the 63rd to score in the area but Real held on despite late pressure for their third win in three games thanks to two brilliant save by Kepa Arrizabalaga.

"We had to suffer more than expected in the end but it's normal to suffer away from home, especially in the Champions League," Vinicius Jr told Movistar Plus.

"The important thing is that we won. We played well, although it's true that we could have scored more goals.

"The summary is that we won all three group games so far. Let's keep this run going."

Real are top on nine points ahead of Napoli, who eked out a 1-0 win at bottom side Union Berlin with the Germans yet to earn a point. Braga are in third place on three points.

Maguire, Onana lift United to victory

IMAGE: Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana celebrates after saving a penalty from FC Copenhagen's Jordan Larsson. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

Harry Maguire headed a second-half goal and goalkeeper Andre Onana saved a penalty deep in stoppage time to power Manchester United to a 1-0 victory over FC Copenhagen on Tuesday for their first victory in the Champions League this season.

"Of course it is incredible and a great night," United manager Erik ten Hag said. "Especially in the dying second when you concede a penalty, but a brilliant save from Andre Onana."

Back in the competition after a one-year absence, Ten Hag's side moved into third place in Group A after collecting a precious three points after three games. Bayern Munich top the group with nine points after beating Galatasary 3-1 earlier.

The victory looked in doubt when Copenhagen's Jordan Larsson - son of former Celtic striker Henrik - stepped up to the spot after Scott McTominay attempted a clearance and caught Elias Achouri in the head with a high boot in the 94th minute. But Onana dived to his left to push the shot away before being mobbed by team mates at the final whistle.

"I'm just doing my job, the most important thing is to win against a tough team," Onana told TNT Sports. "I am happy for the victory, we did a good game and a big goal from Harry.

"We are Manchester United. We are a big club, big players. It's just a matter of time, now we have to continue like this. I have no doubt we will make it."

IMAGE: Harry Maguire scored the winning goal for Manchester United in the 72nd minute. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

Maguire, who has been the target of fan abuse in recent months, had the Old Trafford faithful on their feet when he broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute, Christian Eriksen's long ball into the area finding the defender at the far post.

"It is amazing," Maguire said on the fans chanting his name. "When you are not on your game it gets picked up, but I am really proud and pleased how I have acted over this six to 12 months.

"I have been given an opportunity and I want to help the team and get the club back to where it should be."

A night that began on a solemn note with a tribute to club great Bobby Charlton, who died on Saturday at age 86, ended in celebration with fans singing "There's only one Bobby Charlton".

The victory was United's first in the Champions League since a 2-0 away win at Villarreal on Nov. 23, 2021.

United have had a mixed start to their season and they struggled to begin with on Tuesday with a sloppy first half of poor passing and missed tackles that earned them boos from the home crowd at halftime.

There was a string of several near misses in a five-minute stretch after the break that seemed to suggest a goal might be coming, including a breakaway by Marcus Rashford that he ran out of play after one touch too hard.

A few minutes later, Alejandro Garnacho had fans on their feet when he was sent in behind Copenhagen's back line, but a heavy touch from the Argentine allowed goalkeeper Kamil Grabara to snatch the ball.

It was left to defender Maguire to grab the goal that secured the win.

"We were better in the first half," said Copenhagen manager Jacob Neestrup. "(United) started the second half better, but the last 15 minutes was equal again. We are that close, to keep the game alive that late in the game."

United travel to Copenhagen on November 8.

Bayern survive Galatasaray pressure

IMAGE: Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala celebrates scoring their third goal with team-mates. Photograph: Dilara Senkaya/Reuters

Bayern Munich soaked up intense pressure from Galatasaray for more than 70 minutes before striking twice to carve out a 3-1 victory on Tuesday that kept them firmly top of their Champions League Group A.

The Bavarians, top on nine points, with the Turks in second on four, unusually found themselves on the back foot with Galatasaray carving out 20 attacks to their six with the two sides locked at 1-1 after goals in the opening half hour.

However, Bayern striker Harry Kane scored in the 73rd minute and Jamal Musiala added another six minutes later to snap their opponents' 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," goalscorer Kane said. "Thankfully, we were able to come through it today.

"It's a really important win. This is a really tough place to come. It made things difficult for us, especially in the first half.

"In the second half we were a bit more calm, better on the ball and took our chances. To have nine points after three games is really important."

The Turks, brimming with confidence from their win at Manchester United in the previous matchday, showed no signs of nerves against their more illustrious opponents and had a chance with Mauro Icardi after four minutes.

IMAGE: Harry Kane scores the second goal for Bayern Munich. Photograph: Murad Sezer/Reuters

The visitors silenced the fiery home crowd with Kingsley Coman rifling in for the lead in the eighth minute. Goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, however, had to come to the rescue only a minute later, spectacularly palming a Kerem Akturkoglu shot wide.

In a frantic first half, Akturkoglu then missed a golden chance to level when Ulreich cleared a cutback into his path but the 25-year-old fired over the bar with the keeper beaten.

The hosts' pressure, however, paid off in the 30th when Icardi was brought down in the box. The Argentine coolly chipped his Panenka-style penalty into the middle of the goal as Ulreich dived to the side.

In an equally pacy start to the second half, the Turks had the lion's share of chances once more with Bayern defending desperately.

The hosts, however, started running out of steam after failing to score again and Bayern grew in confidence, with Kane attempting to flick in with a backheel before slotting in on the rebound in the 73rd.

That goal unlocked the game for Bayern, who were missing several players through injury, and they added another with Musiala to seal their hard-earned win.

They are now unbeaten in a competition-record 37 straight Champions League group stage matches.

Manchester United face FC Copenhagen in the other group game later.

Martinelli, Jesus steer Arsenal to victory

IMAGE: Gabriel Martinelli scores the first goal for Arsenal against Sevilla. Photograph: Jon Nazca/Reuters

Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus scored either side of halftime as Arsenal completed a 2-1 Champions League victory at Sevilla on Tuesday, a hard-fought win that takes them to the top of Group B at the midway point of the pool stage.

Martinelli raced clear from his own half to score the opener four minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first period as he completed a lightning break, before Jesus added a second goal shortly after halftime.

Sevilla offered little in the first half and were much improved after the break as they pulled a goal back when Nemanja Gudelj headed home, but the equaliser they so desperately sought eluded them despite some near misses.

Arsenal top the group with six points from their three games. Lens are in second place with five points, followed by Sevilla and PSV Eindhoven with two each.

Mikel Arteta's side never had complete control of the contest despite taking a 2-0 lead.

"Very happy to win, not many teams have done that here in the last 10 years in Europe," Arteta told TNT Sports. "We played the game we wanted and had chances to finish it, and then from one corner they score."

On a night of highs, there was one low. Arteta confirmed the second-half substitution of Jesus was due to injury.

"He felt something in his hamstring, so we will see in the next few days (how serious it is)."

IMAGE: Gabriel Jesus scores the second goal for Arsenal in the 53rd minute. Photograph: Marcelo Del Pozo/Reuters

Martinelli had a superb chance to give Arsenal an early lead when he was put through on goal but his shot was saved by Sevilla goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.

It was a warning to the home side that they did not heed, and Martinelli made sure second time around when another chance presented itself just before the break.

He raced clear from Jesus's clever pass and this time rounded the goalkeeper before scoring.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard fired over the bar early in the second period but the London side did manage a second goal on 53 minutes.

Jesus curled in a shot from a narrow angle to keep up his record of having scored in every Champions League group game so far this season.

The visitors needed that insurance goal too as Sevilla pulled one back five minutes later when Gudelj headed home from a corner.

The home side had several chances to score again but some scrambling defence and a late miss from Ocampos allowed Arsenal to hold on.

Source: REUTERS
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