Share

Madrid moving in the right direction

Kiev - Spanish giants Real Madrid survived a nervous finish when they conceded three late goals to edge Shakhtar Donetsk 4-3 and wrap up top spot in Champions League Group A.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice while Luka Modric and Dani Carvajal were also on target for Real who had already made sure of their place in the last 16 before Wednesday's match at the Lviv Arena.

But just four days after suffering a 4-0 mauling at the hands of Barcelona in El Clasico, there were still worrying signs of Real's defensive frailities for under-pressure coach Rafael Benitez.

They were cruising at 4-0 on Wednesday before Shakhtar hit three goals in the last 12 minutes with stand-in skipper Alex Teixeira scoring twice and fellow Brazilian Dentinho also on target.

"Today everything went our way for most of the game," Benitez said.

"But Shakhtar are a strong and aggressive team. There's no surprise that they have scored at home.

"We've conceded 10 goals in our last three matches but today we acted as a single unit, as a team and that's a very encouraging sign.

"We've scored four goals away from home. I believe this shows that our club is moving in the right direction."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2251 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE