LEIPZIG: An incredible solo goal from Brahim Diaz secured Real Madrid a 1-0 win away at RB Leipzig in Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 first leg while Manchester City survived a scare to beat FC Copenhagen 3-1 at the Parken Stadium, with Phil Foden scoring late to ensure a two-goal cushion ahead of the second leg.

Leipzig were energetic but wasteful early, while Real goalkeeper Andriy Lunin made numerous saves after the hosts controversially had a goal disallowed for offside.

The German club were made to pay early in the second half when Diaz opened the scoring.

Drafted into the side in place of the injured Jude Bellingham, Diaz danced past three Leipzig defenders before curling an inch-perfect shot inside the far post.

“I’m intuitive,” said Diaz of the goal. “I saw Vini (Vinicius Junior) and wanted to give it to him, but in the end I took the shot. “It was a nice goal.”

Real midfielder Toni Kroos praised his team-mate, telling Amazon Prime “a piece of individual skill decided the game.

“If we’re honest, it could have gone in either direction.”

The win was Real’s seventh in seven games this Champions League campaign and puts them in prime position to make it past the last 16 for the fourth straight season.

“It was an open match,” said Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, contending that “a lucky punch decided the game”.

Los Blancos travelled to Saxony without England midfielder Bellingham, who injured his ankle in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Girona.

With first-choice centre-backs Antonio Ruediger, David Alaba and Eder Militao ruled out, coach Carlo Ancelotti opted to continue midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni’s stint in central defence.

Despite their injury woes, Real sit five clear in the league and have only lost twice this season in all competitions, both times to derby rivals Atletico Madrid.

The hosts thundered out of the blocks and had the ball in the net three minutes in, but the goal was ruled out for a contentious offside call, with Benjamin Henrichs deemed to be obstructing the goalkeeper.

Kroos said the wrong decision had been made.

“The goalkeeper would not have got to the ball, so it was a goal.” Gulacsi told reporters he was “frustrated” by the decision, explaining “1-0 after a couple of minutes could have changed the whole game.”

Leipzig carved out a handful of half-chances but poor control in crucial moments, particularly from striker Benjamin Sesko, let the visitors off the hook.

Other than a trademark long-range effort from Kroos which was gobbled up by Gulacsi, Real created little early.

Their best chance came late in the first half when Vinicius’ looping cross drifted just above the head of an advancing Rodrygo.

Collecting the ball near the sideline just three minutes into the second half, Diaz was fouled but refused to go to ground, dribbling through the Leipzig defence before unleashing a curling shot past Gulacsi to score.

The goal cranked the home side into gear, with Barcelona youth product Dani Olmo going close to equalising, twice stinging the palms of Lunin.

Real should have had another with 20 minutes remaining after going on the counter, but Vinicius hit the post.

Lunin turned behind a searing strike from Sesko after Diaz went down injured, Leipzig’s decision to play on enraging Real. The Ukrainian stopper also beat away a dipping effort from substitute Amadou Haidara.

Real host Leipzig in the Spanish capital on March 6.

Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola hailed Kevin De Bruyne’s form “extraordinary” after the Belgian was involved in all three goals as Manchester City beat Copenhagen.

De Bruyne’s early opener was cancelled out against the run of play by Magnus Mattsson.

Bernardo Silva restored City’s lead before half-time, but they had to wait until stoppage time to add further punishment for the hosts when Phil Foden turned home De Bruyne’s cut-back.

De Bruyne was sidelined for five months by a hamstring tear suffered on the opening night of the Premier League season in August.

But since his return last month, the 32-year-old has scored two goals and provided seven assists in seven appearances.

“Extraordinary,” said Guardiola of De Bruyne’s statistics. “The biggest players love to appear in the biggest stages.

“It’s the hour of truth when you are in the last 16 of the Champions League and we start well.”

City have now won 11 consecutive games in all competitions as they remain on course to repeat last season’s treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

Copenhagen had not played a competitive game for two months since sealing their place in the last 16 by dumping out Manchester United and Galatasaray in the group stages.

“We’ve played here a couple of times, the atmosphere is great and you know they’re going to try and do everything. They had a great group stage so we have to respect them,” De Bruyne told broadcaster TNT Sport.

The two sides meet in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on March 6.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2024