Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
It was a night of contrasting fortunes for the Mbappe brothers in the Champions League. While Kylian Mbappe opened his European campaign with a goal for Real Madrid in their 2-1 win over Inter Milan, his younger brother Ethan Mbappe endured a bittersweet evening with Lille, assisting his side’s opener before being sent off in their 3-2 defeat to Real Betis on Tuesday.
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Kylian was on target at the Santiago Bernabeu as Real Madrid overcame two costly Inter mistakes to begin their Champions League campaign with a win. The French forward gave the hosts the lead after 15 minutes, capitalising on a mistake from Yann Bisseck before firing the ball beneath the goalkeeper.
Ethan, meanwhile, had a much more eventful night in France.
The 19-year-old assisted Ayase Ueda for Lille’s opening goal before being shown a straight red card in the 55th minute, shortly after Real Betis had taken a 3-2 lead.
Replays showed Ethan elbowing Betis centre-back Natan in the face after an apparent exchange of words between the two players. The referee reviewed the incident and decided it was serious enough to warrant a red card.
At 19 years and 253 days, Ethan became the youngest player to be sent off in the Champions League for a French club.
His dismissal came after Betis had completed a remarkable comeback. Lille took the lead through Ueda in the 12th minute, but Marc Bartra equalised from Pablo Fornals’ cross. Alexsandro restored Lille’s advantage three minutes later following a corner.
Bartra struck again in the 49th minute, heading in Isco’s free kick, before Ayoze Perez completed the turnaround five minutes later with a low strike after an individual run.
COURTOIS SAVES MADRID
Back in Madrid, Real had goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to thank for holding off an Inter side that arguably controlled large periods of the contest.
Inter enjoyed more than 64 per cent possession and repeatedly tested the Belgian, but Real punished two defensive mistakes.
After Mbappe had forced Bisseck into losing possession, Brahim Diaz collected the loose ball and fed the Frenchman, who finished to put Real ahead.
Courtois then denied Hakan Calhanoglu from a powerful free kick before Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer’s attempted dribble inside his own area went badly wrong. Federico Valverde took advantage, poking the ball home to double Real’s lead.
Jude Bellingham missed a close-range chance before halftime, while Inter continued to press after the break. Carlos Augusto pulled one back in the 76th minute from Lautaro Martinez’s low cross, but Real held on for the victory.
Valverde admitted afterwards that Courtois was the difference.
“I think we played a great first half but I don’t deserve the MVP award today. Courtois deserved it because he saved us with an extraordinary performance,” Valverde told Spanish broadcaster Movistar Plus.
HAALAND LEADS CITY TO WIN
Erling Haaland also began his Champions League campaign with a brace as Manchester City beat Porto 2-0 in Portugal.
City dominated possession and finished with 20 shots, including 10 on target, while Porto failed to register a single attempt.
After forcing the Porto goalkeeper into six saves before halftime, City finally broke the deadlock two minutes after the restart. Haaland headed a lofted cross into the top corner before adding his second goal in stoppage time, finding the bottom corner from Rayan Ait-Nouri’s pass.
DORTMUND EDGE VILLARREAL
Borussia Dortmund survived a late scare to beat Villarreal 3-2.
Dortmund took the lead through a Veiga own goal in the 53rd minute before Villarreal equalised with a close-range header in the 66th.
Serhou Guirassy restored Dortmund’s advantage in the 80th minute and then converted a penalty four minutes later after being fouled.
Guirassy then scored an own goal in added time while attempting to help his team defend, but Dortmund held on for the win.
TORRES HELPS VILLA HOLD OFF BRUGGE
Aston Villa also began their campaign with a win, beating Club Brugge 3-2 in Belgium.
Pau Torres set up John McGinn for Villa’s opener in the 11th minute, but Hugo Vetlesen equalised eight minutes later.
Villa responded quickly, with Emiliano Buendia restoring their lead from a Joao Gomes assist before Nicolas Jackson made it 3-1 just before halftime, with Torres again providing the final pass.
Brugge dominated after the break and Nicolo Tresoldi pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 61st minute, but Villa held on for all three points.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
