Champions League: Rodrygo and Vinicius score as Real Madrid sinks Shakhtar

The win lifted Real to a maximum nine points from three group games.

The holder dominated the match from the start and Rodrygo gave the lead in the 13th minute with an angled strike from the edge of the box. | Photo Credit: AP

Brazilians Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr. scored in the first half as Real Madrid eased past Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 in Champions League Group F on Wednesday.

The holder dominated the match from the start and Rodrygo gave the lead in the 13th minute with an angled strike from the edge of the box.

Catch the match HIGHLIGHTS here

Vinicius extended Real’s lead 15 minutes later with a close-range strike after beating the offside trap.

Oleksandr Zubkov reduced the deficit for the Ukrainian side following a counter-attack five minutes from the break with a magnificent acrobatic volley from a Bohdan Mykhailichenko cross.

Shakhtar goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin was the star of the second half with a series of brilliant stops to stop Real extending their lead.

The win lifted Real to a maximum nine points from three group games. Shakhtar are second in the standings on four points, one more than third-placed Leipzig. 

RB Leipzig 3-1 Celtic

RB Leipzig earned their first Champions League points this season after a quickfire double from Andre Silva and Christopher Nkunku’s first-half strike sealed a 3-1 home win over Celtic in Group F.