Online Reporter
ERLING HAALAND scored his 34th goal for club and country this season to give Manchester City a 2-1 win at Real Madrid in the Champions League football on Wednesday night as Arsenal maintained their perfect group stage record with a 3-0 victory at Club Brugge.
It was a second successive home defeat for Real following their 2-0 reverse against Celta Vigo at the weekend and heaped more pressure on coach Xabi Alonso, whose side have won just two of their last eight in all competitions. For Haaland, though, this was a 21st goal in 21 City games this season and a 51st in 50 Champions League starts, while Nico O’Reilly scored his first goal in the competition.
Rodrygo gave Real, who were missing Kylian Mbappe, the lead just before the half-hour mark with a crisp shot across Gianluigi Donnarumma into the far corner. But academy product O’Reilly equalised just seven minutes later, reacting quickest to prod home the loose ball from inside the six-yard box after Thibaut Courtois had saved Josko Gvardiol’s header.
And Haaland was able to fire City in front from the penalty spot on 43 minutes after VAR intervened to punish Antonio Rudiger for wrestling the Norwegian forward to the ground to prevent him reaching a cross.
It could have been worse for Real but Courtois redeemed himself somewhat for flapping at Gvardiol’s header with a crucial double save to deny Haaland and Rayan Cherki in quick succession as the half drew to a close.
It was a breathless end-to-end second-half and Jude Bellingham could have done better than chip over the bar with only Donnarumma to beat, while Courtois made a fingertip save to deny Jeremy Doku.
Vinicius Jr had a late chance to equalise but skied his volley after Donnarumma had come for and missed an in-swinging corner.
Substitute Endrick also clipped the top of the bar with a header as Real pushed for a late equaliser.
Madueke double fires Arsenal
Noni Madueke’s double helped Arsenal win a sixth straight Champions League match this season and close in on the last 16.
The English Premier League leaders already have more points (18) than was needed last season to secure a top eight spot and direct qualification for the last 16, and they have two matches still to come. Madueke’s two goals could not have been more different. — AFP Sport.
