Real Madrid new recruit Jude Bellingham scored twice and guided the Spanish giants to a 3-1 comeback win at Almeria on Saturday, with Vinicius Jr guaranteeing the points with a stunning strike late in the second half.
Almeria took Real by surprise in the third minute, scoring after a lightening quick counter-attack as Sergio Arribas headed in from a Lucas Robertone cross from the left.
But Real shook it off quickly and piled on the pressure, leveling in the 18th minute with a tidy Bellingham finish from close range after a nice combination with Federico Valverde.
In the 60th minute, Toni Kroos found Bellingham ghosting between two defenders and delivered a clinical cross to the England midfielder who nodded the ball past the flailing goalkeeper Luis Maximiano.
Vinicius Jr then doubled Real's lead in the 73th minute with a brilliant dipping strike from just inside the box which arched over Maximiano and into the top right corner.
It was Real's second win in two games, with Bellingham LaLiga's early top-scorer with three goals.
Published 19 August 2023, 20:38 IST