Real Madrid opened their Champions League title defending campaign with a big 5-1 win over FC Basel in their first game of the group stage. They got a relatively easy draw in Group B, with Liverpool being the only other club from one of the premier European leagues and two teams advance, Real Madrid and Liverpool expected to be those two clubs.
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In their second game of the group stage Real Madrid travels to take on Ludogorets, a team that played Liverpool tough at Anfield in England and nearly stealing a draw out of the result.
Most of the action against Liverpool came late in the game, but Ludogorets struck first against the 10-time champions of Europe. In the sixth minute Ludogorets were awarded a corner kick, and they took full advantage. Cosmin Moti headed a cross from the corner and Marcelinho buried it into the back of the net from close range and about dead center, shocking Real Madrid and taking the lead.
Moti helped set up that first goal for Ludogorets but he cost them the equalizer. Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo drew a foul in the box from Moti, and buried the penalty kick with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner to tie the game up. It was Ronaldo’s second penalty kick at this point in the game, having his first shot saved in the 11th minute from the spot with the identical shot.
Late in the second half French forward Karim Benzema scored to give Real Madrid their first lead in the game. Marcelo set up Bezema with the cross to take the lead.
Real Madrid held on to win what could’ve been a disastrous result.
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