A late winner from Jude Bellingham concluded a hectic game that also saw Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz find the net as Real Madrid came from behind twice to beat Manchester City 3-2 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie. The England midfielder found the net in the 93rd minute to complete an unlikely – but ever so predictable – comeback.
Los Blancos should have taken the lead inside 10 minutes when Mbappe found Ferland Mendy in front of goal, but the left-back squandered his shot from close range. He was made to pay soon after, too, as Erling Haaland swept a Josko Gvardiol lay-off into the far corner to give City a 1-0 lead. Mbappe had a good chance of his own on the stroke of half-time, but swept his shot over the bar despite being in acres of space in the box.
Bellingham had a good chance early in the second half, heading wide after some individual inspiration from Vinicius Jr, before Mbappe found the equaliser, as he scuffed a volley into the far corner from a Dani Ceballos cross. Bellingham should have made it 2-1 soon after, only to be denied by a save from Ederson.
They were made to pay after 80 minutes, when Ceballos clipped Phil Foden in the box, and Haaland made no mistake from the penalty spot. There was another twist, though, as Brahim steered home a late equaliser after an Ederson blunder before Bellingham latched onto Vinicius’ weak effort to score the winner in stoppage time.
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