Real beat Sporting in a 1999 Man Utd-style comeback

Thanks to two goals in the final minutes, Real beat Sporting Lisbon 2-1 in their opening Champions League group stage match.

Sporting (blue shirt) almost made a surprise at Bernabeu stadium. Photo: Reuters

Goals: Ronaldo 89', Morata 90+4' - Bruno Cesar 48'

Like the 1999 Champions League final between Man Utd and Bayern, Real were trailing by a goal to Sporting by the time the referee called time on the game. As if by magic, Ronaldo equalised with a free kick before Morata headed home the winner. The comeback took just five minutes, with the Bernabeu crowd quickly going from disappointment to joy.

The win over Sporting gave Real a good start in the Champions League group stage this season. Coach Zinedine Zidane's team is currently second in Group F behind Dortmund, who beat Legia 6-0 in the same match.

The match at the Bernabeu on the evening of September 14 could be divided into two completely different halves. After Sporting surprisingly dominated the first 50 minutes, Real changed their game and created more chances in the final 40 minutes. The Portuguese team could have won all three points if they had been luckier, but the two goals from the home team were the inevitable result of a series of situations besieging the goal.

Playing their first match since winning the title last season, Real may have to face a psychological inertia against an opponent of a different level. Instead of dominating the game completely as they usually do in La Liga, coach Zidane's team let their opponents start comfortably. In the first half, Real only had one notable situation when Ronaldo's shot from 30m forced goalkeeper Rui Patricio to be alert to block the ball.

Real conceded a goal after Bruno's shot.

Sporting even almost scored in the first half. Bruno Cesar had an early shot that went just wide of the post, while Gelson Martins crossed the ball across the 5m50 box right at the feet of his teammate.

Continuing to play with a lack of energy from the beginning of the second half, Real quickly paid the price with a goal. After Sergio Ramos let the ball touch his foot and drift into the penalty area, Bruno Cesar fired a low left-footed shot past goalkeeper Kiko Casilla.

It was not until after the loss that Real started to wake up. The relentless attack and precise ball movement continuously brought opportunities for the home team. If Ronaldo, Carvajal and Casemiro had finished more carefully, the score would have been 1-1 soon.

Ronaldo took the free kick to equalize.

The match became more dramatic as it entered the final minutes. In the 83rd minute, Ronaldo disappointed the fans when he hit the post from close range. When almost everyone thought Sporting would win, a miracle happened to Real. In the 89th minute, from a direct free kick about 20 meters away, Ronaldo sent the ball into the top corner, hit the post and flew into the goal to level the score at 1-1. Continuing to pressure Sporting, Real scored the decisive goal in the fourth minute of extra time. This time, James Rodriguez crossed the ball as if setting it up for Morata to head, causing the ball to bounce off goalkeeper Patricio before hitting the post and flying into the net.

After the thrilling victory, Real will return to La Liga with three consecutive matches against Espanyol, Villarreal and Las Palmas. Two weeks later, in the second round of the Champions League group stage, Zidane's team will visit Dortmund.

Morata delighted with the decisive goal.

According to VNE