NAPLES: Real Madrid fought back to secure a 3-2 win at Napoli in their Champions League Group C clash with the Italian side’s keeper Alex Meret an unfortunate own goal to hand the Spaniards victory.
Leo Ostigard’s header opened the scoring for Napoli in the 19th minute, but the visitors recovered with strikes from Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham within seven first-half minutes.
Napoli levelled in the 54th minute with a Piotr Zielinski penalty following a handball inside the box by defender Nacho.
But Real scored the winner in the 78th minute as a stunning long-range shot from Federico Valverde cannoned off the crossbar straight onto the back of the flailing Meret’s head before deflecting into his own goal.
Real are top of Group C on six points from two games, three ahead Napoli and Braga. Union Berlin are bottom with no points.
Braga, too
The other group match saw Braga come from two goals down to stun Union 3-2 with a stoppage-time winner from Andre Castro .
Union have now lost their last six matches in all competitions, with their last win dating back to August. They also conceded a late goal in their opening group-stage loss at Real Madrid.
Suriname international Sheraldo Becker scored twice in seven minutes in a rampant first half with the hosts in complete control in their first ever Champions League home game, played in city rivals Hertha Berlin’s bigger arena, the Olympic stadium.
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The Germans wasted several more scoring chances before the Portuguese pulled a goal back four minutes before the break through Sikou Niakate, who made amends for scoring an own goal in last month’s group opener against Napoli.
The visitors drew level with a sensational curled shot from Bruma from 20 metres out in the 51st.
Becker repeatedly went close to a hat-trick in the second half and Union substitute Brenden Aaronson narrowly missed the target with an 86th-minute header but Castro thundered in a low shot from outside the box to snatch the three points.
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