Real Madrid rode two second-half goals to a nervy 2-2 comeback draw with Club Brugge on Tuesday night to save a point in Champions League Group A in a match they easily could have lost.
The visitors took a shock lead inside of 10 minutes from a quick counter-attack as Percy Tau set up Emmanuel Dennis. The linesman's flag had gone up for offside but VAR determined Tau was onside in the buildup and the goal was given.
A bad Luka Modric giveaway led to Brugge's second, with Dennis collecting an errant pass, stumbling as he charged in on goal, then composing himself remarkably to chip Thibaut Courtois to make it 2-0.
Madrid had plenty of chances in the first half, but the combination of some solid goalkeeping by Simon Mignolet and some bad luck in front of goal saw the hosts go to the dressing room at half-time down two goals.
In an effort to jumpstart his team, Zinedine Zidane brought on Marcelo for Nacho and replaced Courtois with Alphonse Areola at half-time.
Ten minutes after the restart, Madrid would draw level when Sergio Ramos headed home a Toni Kroos cross and the goal held up after video review showed the Madrid captain was onside on the play.
Real Madrid were handed a lifeline in the 84th minute when Brugge captain Ruud Vormer was handed a second yellow card in the span of six minutes for a foul on Vinicius Jr. and was sent off.
The hosts immediately took advantage on the ensuing free kick as Casemiro out-jumped his defender and curled a header from Kroos' inswinging cross to level the score at 2-2.
The result leaves Madrid with just one point from their opening two matches after a loss to PSG in their opener and will next face Galatasaray away on Oct. 22.
Madrid are now winless in three straight home Champions League games for the first time since 2002.
