Teen magic steers Real Madrid to victory in Bruges
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group A - Club Brugge v Real Madrid - Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium - December 11, 2019 Real Madrid's Rodrygo celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
BRUGES, Belgium (Reuters) - Brazilian teenagers Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior were on target as Real Madrid secured a 3-1 victory at Club Bruges to end their Champions League Group A campaign on a positive note at the Jan Breydelstadion on Wednesday.
Luka Modric added a superb late third for Real, who were already assured of second place in the group and a place in the knockout stages before the start of the game.
Bruges end third in the group and will drop into the Europa League after Hans Vanaken scored their lone goal.
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group A - Club Brugge v Real Madrid - Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium - December 11, 2019 Real Madrid's Rodrygo celebrates scoring their first goal with Vinicius Junior REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
Real coach Zinedine Zidane made eight changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Paris St Germain in the previous matchday, with the likes of Eden Hazard, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and Sergio Ramos all missing.
Bruges were almost rewarded for their bright start when Real goalkeeper Alphonse Areola made an excellent point-blank save to deny Percy Tau.
At the other end, Simon Mignolet was equally athletic to keep out an effort from Luka Jovic, the latter part of a youthful Real front three that also included Rodrygo, 18, and Vinicius, 19.
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group A - Club Brugge v Real Madrid - Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium - December 11, 2019 Club Brugge players applaud the fans after the match REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
The visitors went ahead on 53 minutes when Alvaro Odriozola's cross was brilliantly volleyed into the bottom corner of the goal by Rodrygo, but that lead lasted only two minutes as Bonaventure set up Vanaken to curl home an equaliser.
Real hit the front again midway through the second period with an untidy goal as the ball ricocheted to Vinicius six yards out and his deflected shot earned him his first Champions League goal, before Modric curled in a late insurance strike.
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group A - Club Brugge v Real Madrid - Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium - December 11, 2019 Real Madrid's Luka Modric celebrates scoring their third goal with teammates REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Ian Chadband)
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group A - Club Brugge v Real Madrid - Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium - December 11, 2019 Club Brugge's Eduard Sobol in action with Real Madrid's Luka Jovic REUTERS/Piroschka van de WouwSoccer Football - Champions League - Group A - Club Brugge v Real Madrid - Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium - December 11, 2019 Real Madrid's Casemiro in action with Club Brugge's Ruud Vormer REUTERS/Piroschka van de WouwSoccer Football - Champions League - Group A - Club Brugge v Real Madrid - Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium - December 11, 2019 Club Brugge's Eduard Sobol in action with Real Madrid's Rodrygo REUTERS/Piroschka van de WouwSoccer Football - Champions League - Group A - Club Brugge v Real Madrid - Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium - December 11, 2019 Real Madrid's Rodrygo celebrates scoring their first goal with Vinicius Junior REUTERS/Piroschka van de WouwSoccer Football - Champions League - Group A - Club Brugge v Real Madrid - Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium - December 11, 2019 Club Brugge's Emmanuel Dennis in action with Real Madrid's Eder Militao REUTERS/Piroschka van de WouwSoccer Football - Champions League - Group A - Club Brugge v Real Madrid - Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium - December 11, 2019 Club Brugge's Thibault Vlietinck in action with Real Madrid's Isco REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
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