Malta Independent

Real Madrid wins 2-0 at 10-man Inter in Champions League

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Real Madrid produced its most complete performanc­e yet in this season's Champions League to beat 10-man Inter Milan 2-0 on Wednesday.

Eden Hazard converted a penalty early in the first half and Rodrygo's header deflected in off Inter defender Achraf Hakimi in the 59th minute as Madrid remained one point behind Group B leader Borussia Mönchengla­dbach, which eased to a 4-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk.

The only other win for 13-time champion Madrid was a 3-2 victory over Inter in Spain three weeks ago, after it opened with a stunning home loss to Shakhtar.

Gladbach leads the group with eight points, Madrid has seven, Shakhtar has four and Inter two.

Before kickoff, the teams lined the center circle for a minute of silence in honor of soccer great Diego Maradona, who died Wednesday at 60. The San Siro was empty of fans due to the coronaviru­s.

Nicolò Barella was penalized for running into Nacho to set up Hazard's penalty.

Madrid midfielder Lucas Vázquez then hit the post and Inter midfielder Arturo Vidal picked up his second yellow card after barely more than a half hour — apparently for protests.

Substitute Vázquez also provided the cross for Rodrygo's header near the hour mark.

Bayern extends winning streak, reaches Champs League last 16

Robert Lewandowsk­i scored again to help Bayern Munich reach the knockout stages of the Champions League with a 3-1 win over Salzburg on Wednesday, the defending champion's record-extending 15th straight win in the competitio­n.

Lewandowsk­i gave Bayern the lead in the 43rd minute with his 71st Champions League goal, matching Spanish forward Raúl's tally. Only Cristiano Ronaldo (131) and Lionel

Messi (118) have more.

Bayern's 20-year-old American defender Chris Richards started for his Champions League debut, taking the place of Lucas Hernández on the left. Richards switched to the right when Hernández, who picked up a knock in his previous game, came on in the 62nd.

Spanish midfielder Marc Roca also made his first European start for Bayern. But the former Espanyol midfielder, who had made only one Bundesliga appearance since joining in the offseason, was sent off in the 66th minute with his second yellow card for a late challenge on Zlatko Junuzović.

The game was preceded by a minute's silence in the largely empty stadium for Argentina great Diego Maradona, who died earlier Wednesday. No fans were at the game due to coronaviru­s restrictio­ns.

The Austrian champions took the game to their hosts but were unable to capitalize on the spaces and chances they created.

Dominik Szoboszlai could have scored on a counteratt­ack in the 35th minute but fired well over when he only had goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to beat.

Salzburg was to rue its lack of efficiency when Lewandowsk­i broke the deadlock. The Poland striker set up Thomas Müller with his heel, and was in the right place to fire in the rebound after Cican Stanković saved his teammate's effort.

Bayern needed some luck for the second goal. Leon Goretzka did well to win the ball and Kingsley Coman cut past a defender before his shot was deflected in by Salzburg defender Maximilian Wöber in the 52nd.

Leroy Sané headed in Bayern's third goal two minutes after Roca's debut was cut short, but lost the ball to allow Rasmus Kristensen cross for Mergim Berisha's consolatio­n in the 73rd.

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