Unconvincing Real Madrid sink Ludogorets
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ByEurosport
Updated 01/10/2014 at 21:13 GMT
Champions League Group B, Vasil Levski Stadium - Ludogorets 1 (Marcelinho 6) Real Madrid 2 (Ronaldo pen 25, Benzema 77)
Benzema, con la equipación del dragón, celebra un gol con el Real Madrid
Image credit: EFE
Real Madrid were made to sweat before edging out Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad to extend their lead at the top of Group B.
The ten-times European champions went behind in the seventh minute after Marcelinho evaded some slack defending to head home the opener at the far post.
Cristiano Ronaldo saw one penalty saved and one converted before substitute Karim Benzema hit the winner with 13 minutes remaining at the Vasil Levski Stadium in Sofia.
Carlo Ancelotti's side have a 100% record in the group and will face Liverpool at Anfield on matchday three.
Ludogorets will meet Basel in Sofia on the same night, confident of gaining their first point of the European campaign after consecutive 2-1 defeats.
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Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid misses to score a penalty shot during their Champions League Group B soccer match against Ludogorets
Image credit: Reuters
KEY MOMENTS
6' - GOAL! Ludogorets 1-0 Real Madrid. Slack marking on the corner kick by Real Madrid, and an unmarked Marcelinho heads home Moti's near-post flick at the far post.
7' - CHANCE! Ronaldo backheels in the left channel but Hernandez just drags the shot wide of Stoyanov's goal.
9' – PENALTY! Minev brings down Hernandez and it is a penalty and a yellow card.
10' - PENALTY SAVE! Ronaldo's spot-kick is to the left, and Stoyanov makes a great save to beat out the effort.
24' – PENALTY! Ronaldo turns Moti in the box and is pulled down. But was that really a penalty?
25' – GOAL! Ludogorets 1-1 Real Madrid. Ronaldo hammers the ball low into the corner, despite a good dive from Stoyanov. Goal number 69 in the Champions League for Ronaldo.
42' – CHANCE! Isco gets down the left and cuts the ball back to Hernandez, who again misses by inches with a left-footed shot across goal.
43' – CHANCE! Dyakov concedes a corner, and from the second ball, Ramos heads Marcelo's cross from the left over from point-blank range.
51- GREAT SAVE! Caicara catches Marcelo and concedes a free-kick down the right. Bale's header from Isco's set-piece is brilliantly kept out by Stoyanov.
56' - WHAT A MISS! Ronaldo gets down the left and crosses for Hernandez, who misses from six yards out.
66' - WHAT A SAVE! Marcelinho finds Bezjak, then the ball comes back to Marcelinho from Abalo and the Brazilian's curling effort is briliantly saved by Casillas.
68' - WHAT A BLOCK! Ronaldo is found by Benzema down the left channel, but Aleksandar Aleksandrov brilliantly blocks his shot on the line
77' - GOAL! Ludogorets 1-2 Real Madrid. Benzema volleys home Marcelo's cross from the left, at close range, to spare the European champions' blushes. Aleksandar Aleksandrov is furious with the referee, as he feels Benzema pushed him as the pair competed for the cross.
83 - PENALTY SHOUT! Misidjan goes down under a loose challenge in the box from Illarramendi, but the ref says no penalty.
83 - PENALTY SHOUT! Misidjan goes down under a loose challenge in the box from Illarramendi, but the ref says no penalty.
90' - CHANCES AT BOTH ENDS! Dyakov gets on the ball and sees his shot cleared by Marcelo - Real break and Stoyanov brilliantly tips over from Bale.
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Ludogorets Razgrad's midfielder Marcelinho celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League Group B football match between Ludogorets Razgrad and Real Madrid
Image credit: Getty Images
TALKING POINT: Will Ludogorets take points in Group B? Georgi Dermendzhiev's side caused the European champions all kinds of problems, even though forward Roman Bezjak had an off night. With a fine goalkeeper in Vladislav Stoyanov and some tough-as-teak defenders like Cosmin Moti and Yordan Minev, the Bulgarians will be hopeful of a result against Basel on 22 October.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Marcelinho (Ludogorets) The Brazilian scored the Bulgarian side's goal and was a constant threat breaking from deep, with Sergio Ramos in particular unable to deal with the 30-year-old's movement.
PLAYER RATINGS
Ludogorets: Stoyanov 8, Caicara 7, Moti 7, A Aleksandrov 7, Minev 7, Dyakov 7, Marcelinho 8, Espinho 7, Abalo 6, Bezjak 6, Mihail Aleksandrov 7. Subs: Wanderson 6, Misidjan 7, Anicet 7.
Real Madrid: Casillas 6, Arbeloa 6, Varane 6, Ramos 5, Marcelo 7, Illarramendi 5, Modric 6, Isco 6, Bale 5, Ronaldo 6, Hernandez 6. Subs: Benzema 8, Rodriguez 6, Kroos 6.
THE MATCH IN A TWEET
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