Bellingham’s Late Strike Lifts Real Madrid Past Man City in Champions League

Posted : 12 February 2025

Real Madrid secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League playoff, with Jude Bellingham delivering the winning goal in stoppage time. The Spanish giants had to come from behind twice, as Erling Haaland’s double initially seemed to put City in control.

However, Madrid’s resilience saw them turn the tie around, putting them in a strong position for the return leg in Spain. Reflecting on the match, Bellingham acknowledged City’s quality but emphasized Madrid’s determination to seize their opportunity at the end.

The two sides have now met in the knockout phase of the competition for four consecutive seasons, with the winner in each of the past three encounters eventually lifting the Champions League trophy. City started slowly at the Etihad but took the lead in the 19th minute when Haaland capitalized on Josko Gvardiol’s assist.

Madrid nearly responded through Vinicius Junior, who struck the crossbar, while City’s Manuel Akanji also hit the woodwork. Haaland was denied a second goal early in the second half when his deflected shot ricocheted off the post. Madrid found an equalizer on the hour mark through Dani Ceballos, whose mishit volley looped past Ederson.

City reclaimed the lead with ten minutes remaining after Phil Foden won a penalty, which Haaland converted. However, a costly mistake by Ederson allowed former City player Brahim Diaz to equalize in the 86th minute. Madrid then capitalized on another defensive lapse, with Bellingham firing home the decisive goal in the dying moments. The loss left City’s John Stones expressing frustration over their inability to see out the game, acknowledging the team’s need to manage tough moments more effectively.

Meanwhile, in France, Paris Saint-Germain claimed a 3-0 victory over Brest, with Ousmane Dembélé continuing his outstanding form. The winger scored twice, bringing his tally to 18 goals in his last 11 matches. PSG took the lead through a Vitinha penalty after a VAR review determined a handball by Brest’s Pierre Lees-Melou.

Despite playing in Guingamp due to stadium regulations, Brest put up a fight, hitting the post twice before Dembele doubled PSG’s advantage just before halftime. The French forward then sealed the win with a deflected shot midway through the second half. PSG coach Luis Enrique praised Dembele’s confidence, noting his significant improvement from the previous year.

In other matches, Juventus secured a 2-1 home win over PSV Eindhoven in Turin. Weston McKennie gave the Italian side the lead before Ivan Perisic equalized for the visitors. However, Samuel Mbangula’s late goal ensured Juventus carried an advantage into the second leg. Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund moved closer to the last 16 with a 3-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon. Serhou Guirassy’s header put Dortmund ahead on the hour mark before Pascal Gross added a second. Karim Adeyemi wrapped up the win with a late third goal, marking a successful start for new coach Niko Kovac, who replaced Nuri Sahin in January.

Bellingham’s Late Strike Lifts Real Madrid Past Man City in Champions League

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