Real Madrid Edge Past Ludogorets in Hard-Fought Champions League Win
2 October 2014
Real Madrid came from behind to secure a narrow 2-1 win over Bulgarian side Ludogorets Razgrad in their UEFA Champions League group stage clash on Wednesday evening.
The European champions were given a scare early on when Marcelinho headed Ludogorets into a shock lead in the 6th minute. The hosts, making just their second-ever appearance in the group stage of the competition, defended resolutely and held firm for much of the game before Real Madrid’s quality eventually told.
Cristiano Ronaldo equalised from the penalty spot in the first half after missing an earlier attempt, before substitute Karim Benzema netted the winner in the 77th minute to spare Madrid’s blushes.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged the challenge posed by the Bulgarian side but was ultimately pleased with his team’s response.
“It was a difficult match because we conceded early, and that changed the dynamic,” Ancelotti said in his post-match interview. “But I was happy with the way the team reacted. We created many chances — we could have scored more — but the important thing is that we came back and secured the win.”
The result keeps Real Madrid top of Group B with six points from two games, following their emphatic 5-1 opening win against Basel.
Ludogorets, who lost their first match to Liverpool in dramatic fashion, once again proved they are no pushovers, holding the star-studded Spanish side for long spells and coming close to a historic result.
“It wasn’t our best start, but the reaction was good,” added Ancelotti. “We remained calm, stuck to our plan, and eventually got the result we wanted.”
With confidence high, Real Madrid will now look to build on their European form when they return to La Liga action at the weekend, while Ludogorets will aim to take encouragement from their performance into domestic competition.
