Izuchukwu OkosiReal Madrid suffered their first defeat of the season Tuesday night in their UEFA Champions League Group F meeting away to RB Leipzig but still ensured they led the group and qualified to the knockout stage of the tournament.
Josko Gvardiol nodded in a rebound after a free header from a corner was initially saved by Thibaut Courtouis.
Minutes later the ball fell to Chelsea target Christopher Nkunku and he was quick in his touch and finish off the underside of the bar.
The tournament’s champions and record winners, Real Madrid, finally reduced the arrears with Marco Asensio, on his first start of the season, picking out in-form Vinicius Junior on the penalty spot just before half-time.
Real Madrid were without the creativity and goal threat of the trio of Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and Fede Valverde.
READ ALSO: Benzema, Mbappe, Modric Top UEFA Champions League Team Of The Season
Timo Werner, who had earlier missed a golden chance to put his name on the score sheet, grabbed his goal moments later when he pounced on a cross from the pacey Mohamed Simakan.
In the final moments, Rodrygo was brought down in the box by Christopher Nkunku and subsequently, Rodrygo dispatched the penalty kick into the left corner.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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