Bellingham Scores Again to Lead Real Madrid to 2-1 Win over Braga in Champions League  

Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League group C match between SC Braga and Real Madrid, in Braga, Portugal, 24 October 2023. (EPA)
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League group C match between SC Braga and Real Madrid, in Braga, Portugal, 24 October 2023. (EPA)
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Bellingham Scores Again to Lead Real Madrid to 2-1 Win over Braga in Champions League  

Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League group C match between SC Braga and Real Madrid, in Braga, Portugal, 24 October 2023. (EPA)
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League group C match between SC Braga and Real Madrid, in Braga, Portugal, 24 October 2023. (EPA)

Led by Jude Bellingham yet again, Real Madrid defeated Braga 2-1 on Tuesday to keep a perfect record in the Champions League and move closer to securing a spot in the knockout stage.

Bellingham scored his 11th goal in 12 matches since joining Madrid to help the 14-time European champion earn the away victory and strengthen its lead in Group C. Madrid has nine points from three matches, three points more than Napoli, which won 1-0 at winless Union Berlin. Braga stayed in third place with three points.

Another win against Braga at home in the next round in November will guarantee Madrid a spot in the knockout stage for the 28th consecutive time.

Braga has never advanced past the group stage. The Portuguese team is making its third Champions League appearance and first in 11 seasons.

Rodrygo, who hadn't scored since August, put Madrid ahead in the 16th minute with a shot from inside the area after a run by Vinícius Júnior down the left flank, and Bellingham added to the lead in the 61st with a low shot into the far corner after another assist by Vinícius.

Spaniard Álvaro Djaló pulled the hosts closer in the 63rd with a shot into the top corner.

“It's normal to suffer a little in away matches,” Vinícius said. “But we played well and scored the goals with the chances we created. And could've scored even more. We have to keep this run going after having won the first three matches.”

The 20-year-old Bellingham is yet to go consecutive games without scoring for Madrid. The Englishman has scored in each of the first three matchday’s in the Champions League for the second season in a row, after doing the same with Borussia Dortmund in 2022-23.

He controlled the pace of the game at midfield to help Madrid dominate early. Braga, which had won five in a row in all competitions, didn’t have any attempts on target in the first half.

The hosts improved after halftime and threatened Madrid through the end but couldn’t capitalize on a few late chances.

The Brazilian duo of Rodrygo and Vinícius each had goals disallowed for offside, one in each half.

“The game was under control after Bellingham’s goal but after we conceded it changed the dynamics,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

Madrid now turns its focus to Saturday’s match against Barcelona in the first “clasico” of the season in the Spanish league. Bellingham was replaced late against Braga with an apparent muscle discomfort but Ancelotti said it didn't look like a serious problem.

Ancelotti wasn’t able to count on goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, defender Éder Militão and midfielder Arda Güler because of injuries.

Braga saw striker Bruma, who was not fully fit, come into the match only in the second half. He had scored in five of Braga’s previous six European matches this season.

After the match, a member of Braga's staff reportedly tried to confront Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger and others had to intervene to end to the incident.



Saudi Al-Hilal Surge into Asian Champions League Semis by Thrashing Gwangju

Al-Hilal players celebrate after a goal is scored. (SPA)
Al-Hilal players celebrate after a goal is scored. (SPA)
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Saudi Al-Hilal Surge into Asian Champions League Semis by Thrashing Gwangju

Al-Hilal players celebrate after a goal is scored. (SPA)
Al-Hilal players celebrate after a goal is scored. (SPA)

Al-Hilal powered into the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League Elite in Jeddah on Friday as Jorge Jesus's Saudi Pro League side demolished South Korea's Gwangju 7-0 to move closer to a record-extending fifth continental title.

Goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Marcos Leonardo and Salem Al-Dawsari inside the first 33 minutes sent the four-times champions on their way, with Aleksandar Mitrovic, Malcom, Nasser Al-Dawsari and Abdullah Al-Hamddan on target after the interval.

"The players who played today were under a lot of pressure but they played at their usual level," said Jesus. "Without their commitment we wouldn't achieve what we achieved today. We are on the right path."

The result at a raucous King Abdullah Sports City Stadium means Al-Hilal will take on the winners of Saturday's quarter-final between fellow Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli and Thailand's Buriram United.

Al-Hilal, continental champions in 1991, 2000, 2019 and 2021 and runners-up on five other occasions, were several levels above the K-League side, who are appearing in the competition for the first time.

Milinkovic-Savic gave the Saudi side the perfect start in the sixth minute, the midfielder peeling away from his marker to meet Salem Al-Dawsari's corner with a glancing header that beat Kim Kyeong-in for pace from the edge of the six-yard box.

Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou denied the Koreans the opportunity to strike back almost immediately when he blocked Jasir Asani's attempt after the Albanian winger had been played in behind the Al-Hilal defense.

Gwangju were to rue that miss in the 25th minute when Leonardo doubled Al-Hilal's lead, the Brazilian beating Kim low and at his near post when he met Malcom's cutback with a first-time strike.

Eight minutes later Salem Al-Dawsari effectively killed the game after racing on to Leonardo's ball from deep inside the Al-Hilal half, outpacing the Gwangju defense before calmly sliding his shot to Kim's right.

Mitrovic hit the fourth goal 10 minutes into the second half, making no mistake as he slotted in Milinkovic-Savic's bobbling cross from the right with a first-time finish.

Malcom beat Kim with 11 minutes remaining and substitute Nasser Al-Dawsari's deflected strike gave Al-Hilal their sixth goal five minutes later. Al-Hamddan's unstoppable right-foot shot in the 88th minute completed Gwangju's humiliation.

The latter stages of the revamped Asian Champions League Elite are being played on a centralized basis in Jeddah, with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr due to face Yokohama F Marinos on Saturday.

Kawasaki Frontale from Japan take on Qatar's Al-Sadd on Sunday, with the semi-finals to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday. The final will be played on May 3.