Champions League: Real Madrid bests Napoli in thriller, Manchester United loses

 Manchester United loses as Real Madrid defeats Napoli in a close contest.

Wednesday night's Champions League match between Real Madrid and Napoli was an exciting 3-2 victory for the Spanish giants.

Leo Ostigard gave Napoli the lead in the 19th minute, but Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid equalized the score eight minutes later. Real Madrid took the lead through a goal from Jude Bellingham in the 37th minute, but Napoli responded with a penalty from Piotr Zielinski in the 53rd.

Alex Meret of Napoli scored an own goal in the 76th minute to give Real Madrid the victory.

The other Group D encounter saw Manchester United fall to PSV Eindhoven by a dispiriting score of 1-0.

Through a Cody goal, PSV took the lead in the 45th minute.

With a goal from Cody Gakpo in the 45th minute, PSV seized the lead. In the second half, Manchester United made an effort to tie the score, but they were unsuccessful.

After two games, the defeat places Manchester United at the bottom of Group D.

Analysis

Although Real Madrid's victory over Napoli was fought for, it was well-earned. For the majority of the game, the Spanish giants were the superior team and produced more scoring opportunities.

The loss to PSV Eindhoven for Manchester United was disappointing. The Red Devils were the match's favorites, but the Dutch team outplayed them. In attack, Manchester United had trouble producing opportunities, and their defense was weak.

Conclusion

The victory over Napoli by Real Madrid improved their chances of winning the Champions League. The Spanish juggernauts are now in first place in Group C and have a decent chance of moving on to the knockout rounds.

Manchester United's chances of winning the Champions League were hurt by their loss to PSV Eindhoven. The Red Devils are currently last in Group D, and if they want to move on to the knockout stages, they must start winning games.

Bellingham's best goal yet

With seven goals in his first eight games for Real Madrid heading into Tuesday's hotly anticipated, marquee encounter away to Serie A champs Napoli, Jude Bellingham was already off to a record-breaking start with his new club.

The 20-year-old Englishman continued his hot streak in Italy, scoring in his eighth goal in his most impressive fashion yet — a slaloming run past several defenders before a cut-back and finish past keeper Alex Meret with his right foot.

Bellingham's latest strike put the 14-time European champs up 2-1; Napoli's Leo Skiri Østigård gave the hosts an early lead before Vinicius Junior canceled it out. A third would've sealed the win for Real. Instead, the Neapolitans were awarded a Charmin-soft penalty following a VAR check. Piotr Zieliński converted it, denying Bellingham what would've been a worthy game winner. 

But a late Meret own goal — following a blistering shot by Federico Valverde that ricocheted off the crossbar, hit the keeper and went in — meant Real was still able to take all three points back to the Spanish capital from a match that more than lived up to the billing.

Arsenal's defeat overshadowed by Saka injury

Things started off great for Arsenal away to French side Lens. After a confidence-building Match Day 1 rout of PSV Eindhoven, the Gunners took an early lead at Stade Bollaert-Delelis via Gabriel Jesus. But it all unraveled from there.

First the hosts equalized though a superb, curling goal by Adrien Thomasson. Then Arsenal's star attacker Bukayo Saka went down with a non-contact injury that forced him from the match after just 34 minutes.

Elye Wahi eventually broke the deadlock for the hosts with about 20 minutes remaining in the second half, and it ended 2-1. Blowing a lead and leaving with nothing was bad enough, but the prospect of missing Saka for any length of time is even worse. After the match, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta suggested that the injury is serious. If that proves true, the Gunners lost twice on Tuesday.

Reeling Manchester United stunned at home again

It had been 20 matches since Galatasaray so much as scored an away goal in the Champions League. On Tuesday against Man United at Old Trafford, the Turkish power managed three in a 3-2 triumph that left the Red Devils with zero points through their first two group stage games.

Even worse, the visitors' final two tallies came in the last 20 minutes of the rain-soaked affair. "Not acceptable," was the instant, field-side reaction of United legend Peter Schmeichel, who was covering the match for the official broadcaster. "It's just not good enough, the mistakes that are being made."