LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) Real Madrid secured a 3-2 victory over Napoli in the Champions League group stage as Jude Bellingham played a pivotal role, scoring a goal and assisting another.
Bellingham intercepted a pass from Napoli’s captain, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, and then set up Vinicius Junior for an equalizing goal at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, shortly after Napoli took the lead with Leo Ositgard’s goal.
The young English talent displayed his skills by maneuvering through Napoli’s defense from midfield, scoring his eighth goal in nine appearances since joining Real Madrid during the summer.
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Real Madrid’s head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, praised Bellingham’s talent and highlighted his young age, being only 20 years old.
In the second half, Napoli’s Piotr Zielinski controversially converted a penalty, leveling the score at 2-2.
The decision followed a VAR review after a tackle by Nacho on Victor Osimhen, with the ball initially striking the defender’s shin before hitting his arm.
Real Madrid, a 14-time Champions League winner, secured victory when Federico Valverde’s powerful shot deflected off the crossbar and then rebounded off Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret in the 78th minute.
In another thrilling match, Union Berlin suffered a 3-2 defeat to Braga, with Andre Castro scoring a stoppage-time goal to complete Braga’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit in the German capital.