Crucial victory for Real
BERLIN: Real Madrid picked up a crucial 32 Champions League win in Group B over Inter Milan, while Liverpool put last season’s quarterfinalist Atalanta to the sword with a 50 victory yesterday.
Real kicked off bottom, with just one point after two games, but edged past its Italian opponents in a thriller.
Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos put Madrid in control and though Lautaro Martinez and Ivan Perisic restored parity, Rodrygo’s late goal rescued the 13time winner.
The victory puts Real Madrid second, a point behind Borussia Moenchengladbach, which hammered Shakhtar Donetsk 60, while winless Inter is bottom.
Liverpool continued its 100% record at the top of Group D with its humbling of Atalanta. A Diogo Jota hattrick, as well as goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, did the damage.
Holder Bayern came from behind to beat RB Salzburg 62 after a minute’s silence for the victims of Tuesday’s terrorist attack in Vienna, Manchester City remained perfect with its 30 win over Olympiacos and Porto prevailed 30 over Marseille.
Ajax, which initially travelled with just 17 players to Denmark to face Midtjylland due to reported coronavirus issues, won 21.
Real almost squandered the three points, but managed to pull through thanks to substitute Rodrygo’s slick finish 10 minutes from time. Benzema had taken advantage of Achraf Hakimi’s misplaced pass to open the scoring, and Ramos headed in his 100th Real goal soon after.
‘‘When you win, the side regain confidence,’’ said Ramos.
‘‘We knew it was a doordie game and when you are pegged back to draw a match you were winning, you need to push on, give everything you have left.’’
Martinez and Perisic made things all square either side of the break but Inter could not hold on.
‘‘We felt that we could win the game after scoring the equaliser. We had a few chances but they took theirs instead,’’ Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic said.
Group leader Gladbach was irresistible in Ukraine where Alassane Plea bagged a hat trick. Strikes from Ramy Bensebaini and Lars Stindl and an own goal from Valeriy Bondar completed the rout.
Marco Rose’s team remains unbeaten after draws with Real and Inter, and this was Donetsk’s first loss of the competition.
For Liverpool, Jota opened the scoring with a chipped finish, blasting in a second before the break.
The Premier League champion continued to dominate after the interval, Salah finishing off a counterattack before Mane struck. Jota then poked past Marco Sportiello for his third.
‘‘I’m playing in the best team in my career so far, that’s for sure,’’ said Jota.
‘‘I don’t know if it was my best moment but obviously scoring goals is my way of playing football so I’m really happy with this and with the result of course — a great win away in the Champions League so a good moment, a good night.’’
The Reds now have nine points, which is five ahead of
Ajax in second.
The Dutch side took the lead against Midjtylland through Antony before Dusan Tadic, one of several players who arrived late to join the Dutch side in Denmark, lashed home.
Anders Dreyer did pull one back but the Danes remain without a point.
Bayern made it 14 wins in a row in the Champions League in Austria.
Mergim Berisha gave Salzburg a shock lead, but a penalty from Robert Lewandowski and a Rasmus Kristensen own goal turned the game.
Masaya Okugawa slotted past Manuel Neuer to make it 22 but Jerome Boateng, Leroy Sane, Lewandowski and Lucas Hernandez all scored in a frantic final 15 minutes to give Bayern a flattering win on the oneyear anniversary of Hansi Flick’s appointment.
‘‘If you look at the result, it looks like an easy game,’’ said Sane. ‘‘But we made things difficult for ourselves. We knew Salzburg would be a difficult team, they are especially strong on the break.’’
Bayern has one foot in the knockout round, with Atletico Madrid second, after Anton Miranchuk cancelled out Jose Gimenez’s header in its 11 draw with Lokomotiv Moscow.
Manchester City made it three wins from three in Group C with its victory over Olympiacos. Ferran Torres put it in front before Gabriel Jesus and Joao Cancelo made it comfortable late on.
Porto consolidated second place as it dispatched its French opponent thanks to goals from Moussa Marega, Sergio Oliveira and Luis Diaz.
Marseille has now lost its last 12 Champions League games. — DPA