FOOTBALL – REAL Madrid’s Jude Bellingham struck a last-gasp goal to give holders Real Madrid a 3-2 first-leg victory in an edge-of-your-seat Champions League knockout phase playoff last night.
Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz also struck for Madrid, to cancel out a double from City’s Erling Haaland.
Haaland opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Josko Gvardiol chested the ball down to the 24-year-old Norwegian, who volleyed into the far corner. The goal was given after fans held their breath through a four-minute VAR check for offside.
Kylian Mbappe levelled in the 60th minute with a rebound off a free kick, awkwardly bobbling the ball off his shin while falling, before it looped over goalkeeper Ederson and into the net.
Haaland struck from the penalty spot in the 80th minute – awarded after Dani Ceballos took down Phil Foden by his right knee in the box – sending keeper Thibaut Courtois the wrong way. But then Diaz pounced on a poor clearance of Vinicius Jr’s shot by Ederson, and tapped home the ball.
England international Bellingham scored the winner in the 92nd minute when Vinicius looped the ball over from the left and the Englishman got in front of John Stones to tap home.
Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy scored one and set up another in a 3-0 victory at Sporting to put last year’s finalists in the driving seat for a spot in the last 16.
Juventus substitute Samuel Mbangula snatched a late winner as the Italian giants beat PSV Eindhoven 2-1.
Meanwhile, Paris St Germain seized control of their playoff with a commanding 3-0 first-leg win at Brest, driven by a brace from forward Ousmane Dembele.
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