Alex Meret’s unlucky personal purpose handed Real Madrid a 3-2 win at Napoli on Wednesday which moved the Spanish giants high in Champions League Group C. Italian worldwide goalkeeper Meret might do nothing to cease Federico Valverde‘s highly effective, deflected shot crashing out off the bar and again into the purpose off his outstretched arm 12 minutes from the top of an entertaining conflict in Naples. That unfortunate rebound maintained Madrid’s excellent begin to the group stage and moved them three factors away from each the Italian champions and Braga, 3-2 winners over backside facet Union Berlin earlier on Tuesday.

“It was a difficult match, very hard-fought right until the last minute,” stated Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti to Sky Sport in Italy.

“It seems absurd to me that that goal is given as a Meret own goal… Valverde is a great player and a great midfielder, he creates a lot and that was a great strike.”

Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham scored the away facet’s different objectives on former Napoli coach Ancelotti’s return to southern Italy, giving Madrid a half-time lead after Leo Ostigard headed the hosts in entrance within the nineteenth minute.

England midfielder Bellingham, who additionally arrange Vinicius’ sensible low end, has now scored eight occasions in his first 9 Madrid matches in all competitions and appeared a category above many of the different gamers on the pitch.

“What’s so amazing about Bellingham is that he’s only 20. He has great quality, a strong personality and character,” added Ancelotti.

“He’s a young man of 20 who’s showing everyone what extraordinary talent he has.”

Piotr Zielinski had given Napoli hope that they might construct on a current burst of excellent kind when he smashed in a 54th-minute penalty harshly given for a Nacho handball whereas difficult Victor Osimhen.

Nigeria ahead Osimhen was enjoying for Napoli after backing supporters following a row with the membership over an insulting video on social media, telling his countrymen that they weren’t racist.

Napoli shaken

Tuesday’s match came about in a metropolis shaken by a sequence of earthquakes in current days and the Stadio Maradona rocked as the 2 groups went straight at it from kick-off.

Madrid have been extra harmful within the opening exchanges, Rodrygo and Bellingham having respective efforts stopped by Meret and Mathias Olivera within the first 11 minutes.

But shortly afterwards Ostigard struck first blood for Napoli, powering in a header after Kepa Arrizabalaga flapped at Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s cross and Natan looped an effort of his personal off the crossbar.

Napoli had their tails up however a sloppy move from captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo allowed Bellingham to pounce and assist deliver Real stage within the twenty seventh minute.

Bellingham nipped in to intercept Di Lorenzo’s ball into midfield from the suitable flank and solely needed to make a few steps earlier than feeding Vinicius who calmly slotted residence his first purpose since mid-August.

And Bellingham silenced the beforehand boisterous crowd seven minutes later with a contact of pure class, accumulating a move in midfield earlier than bursting ahead, dismissing Ostigard and thumping residence.

Kepa made up for his error for Napoli’s purpose six minutes earlier than the break when he pulled off a brilliant cease to disclaim Osimhen’s bullet header from Matteo Politano’s whipped cross.

Napoli weren’t downhearted and have been rewarded for his or her enterprising play when referee Clement Turpin determined after checking the pitch-side monitor that Nacho had dealt with whereas difficult Osimhen.

Ancelotti was dumbfounded whereas Zielinski crashed his penalty previous Kepa and in off the publish, and never lengthy after the Pole stung the Madrid keeper’s gloves with a robust drive from simply exterior the world.

The introduction of Luka Modric helped flip the match in Madrid’s favour, and Bellingham ought to have put them again within the lead when he headed extensive after Vinicius’ stinging shot was effectively saved by Meret.

But Meret might solely look on in horror as Valverde was bundled by his teammates in celebration following a purpose which gave Madrid the initiative in what seems to be a decent group.

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