Real Madrid 2-2 Club Brugge: Zinedine Zidane’s men left frustrated in Champions League clash against ten-man Belgians despite late Casemiro header rescuing a point for the hosts
- Real Madrid fought back from two goals down to rescue a point at the Bernabeu against Club Brugge
- The Belgian side’s bizarre opener came when Emmanuel Dennis scuffed his effort past Thibaut Courtois
- Dennis’ untidy finish had been initially chalked off for offside but then promptly awarded after a VAR check
- Brugge doubled their shock lead six minutes before the break when Dennis lobbed the onrushing Courtois
- Sergio Ramos hauled the hosts back into the game after nodding home a teasing cross from Karim Benzema
- Casemiro then scored a late header from Toni Kroos’ delivery to earn the hosts a share of the spoils
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Brugge were falling over themselves to beat Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu but Real staged a dramatic two-goal comeback to take their first Champions League point of the season.
Twice Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis stumbled as he shot and twice his effort still beat Thibaut Courtois.
The 21-year-old Nigerian forward – Dennis the Menace to Madrid’s comic strip first half defending – gave the Belgian champions a first half 2-0 lead but they could not hold on.
Club Brugge striker Emmanuel Dennis netted a brace as the Belgian side held Real Madrid to a point at the Bernabeu
Sergio Ramos headed in the first of Madrid’s goals and after Brugge had their skipper sent off Casemiro headed in Toni Kroos’ free-kick to the leave the match at 2-2. Who says group games in this competition are boring?
There were nine minutes on the clock when Club Brugge took the lead. Brighton loanee Percy Tau was through down the left and when the South African international crossed, Dennis arrived to finish.
His first touch was poor, his second touch was worse. But with it, the ball cannoned off his shin and past Courtois who had already dived – completely thrown by Dennis’ wayward first touch.
The fortunate finish had initially been ruled out for offside but the decision was promptly overturned after a VAR check
There was a flag up but VAR found Tau to have been onside when he was played in and Dennis level when he received the cross. The goal stood and Madrid were behind.
Madrid reacted quickly with Simon Mignolet having to save brilliantly from Raphael Varane’s header after a Kroos corner.
Eden Hazard was bright, suddenly showing that electric ability to accelerate and brake and accelerate with the ball at his feet. But there was danger at the other end too.
Courtois had to save from Tau on 34 minutes and five minutes later he had been beaten once more. This time Luka Modric gave the ball away in midfield and it ran to Dennis who again stumbled but on this occasion stayed on his feet long enough to shoot past Courtois.
There were whistles inside the Bernabeu now and they became louder as Toni Kroos lost the ball just before the break.
Real Madrid’s Belgian shot stopper was left clasping at thin air after Dennis’ poor control allowed him to prod the ball home
But Courtois redeemed himself midway through the first half after acrobatically tipping Dennis’ goal bound strike wide
Under pressure Real boss Zinedine Zidane watched on as his side struggled to draw level at the Bernabeu
A superb stop from Simon Mignolet prevented Real from equalising after Raphael Varane’s glancing header from a corner
Zinedine reacted by sending Marcelo on for Nacho at half time and Alphonse Areola came on for Courtois.
Hazard cranked-up the noise levels with a right foot shot saved by Mignolet four minutes after the restart but Dennis then saw Areola deny him his hat-trick as Brugge threatened in the counter.
On 55 minutes Madrid were back in it when Ramos headed in Benzema’s cross. The goal was ruled out for offside at first and the early replays showed Ramos the wrong side of the last defender.
And Brugge soon made Madrid pay by doubling their shock lead when Dennis was played through and lobbed Courtois
Sergio Ramos restored hope for the hosts when Real’s captain planted a header beyond Mignolet from Karim Benzema’s cross
But VAR had different images showing Clinton Mata playing the captain onside and when referee Georgi Kabakov drew his screen in the sky the Bernabeu erupted – the dramatic comeback was on.
Brugge captain Ruud Vormer leant a hand when he went through the back of Vinicius. He got some of the ball and some of the Brazilian winger’s ankle and he was shown the red card.
Madrid scored from the free-kick. Kroos didn’t have much of an angle but he curled the ball on to Casemiro’s head and he powered it past Mignolet.
There were now five minutes left of normal time. Madrid kept pouring forward but even with one of those heart-stopping last second corners they could not find the winner.
The defender was shown to be marginally onside by a VAR check after initially appearing to have strayed beyond the last man
Casemiro rose highest on 85 minutes to divert a powerful header from Toni Kroos’ cross beyond Mignolet for the equaliser
