Soccer Football - Champions League - Group C - S.C. Braga v Napoli - Estadio Municipal de Braga, Braga, Portugal - September 20, 2023 S.C. Braga's Sikou Niakate in action with Napoli's Stanislav Lobotka REUTERS/Miguel Vidal
BRAGA, Portugal (Reuters) - A late own goal by Sporting Braga defender Sikou Niakate handed Italian champions Napoli a 2-1 away win in an entertaining Champions League Group C clash on Wednesday.
In a game of many missed chances, Napoli took the lead in first-half stoppage time through captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo after striker Victor Osimhen nodded the ball away from goal and the Italy defender seized his chance to bounce it in off the bar.
Braga, who are in the Champions League for the third time and the first in 11 seasons, stepped up their game following the break and forward Bruma equalised in the 84th minute with a header from a perfect cross by substitute Rodrigo Zalazar.
But four minutes later Niakate sealed the win for the visitors with an unfortunate intervention, netting a pass by Piotr Zielinski from close range with his first touch.
In the other Group C game, Real Madrid beat Union Berlin 1-0 at home with a late Jude Bellingham goal earlier on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; editing by Clare Fallon)
