Vinícius Júnior sparked Real Madrid’s 3-1 comeback win over Espanyol within the Spanish league on Saturday, conserving chief Barcelona inside attain earlier than the rivals meet subsequent weekend.
Joselu Mato put Espanyol forward on the Santiago Bernabeu within the eighth minute. But Vinícius equalized within the twenty second and Éder Militão headed Madrid in entrance for good minutes earlier than halftime.
Substitute Marco Asensio added a 3rd purpose in stoppage time as Madrid ended a three-game winless run throughout the league and the Copa del Rey.
Carlo Ancelotti’s crew lowered Barcelona’s result in six factors earlier than the front-runner visits Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
Karim Benzema missed the sport as he rested to recuperate from an ankle downside. Before the sport, Ancelotti mentioned he anticipated his striker to be able to face Liverpool within the Champions League on Wednesday. Madrid holds a 5-2 benefit from the primary leg of the spherical of 16.
Madrid will then go to Barcelona on March 19 in a clásico that can doubtless weigh closely on the title struggle.
“It was a game we had to win at any cost,” Ancelotti mentioned. “This week is important with the Champions League and the clásico, and now we can face it with good momentum.”
Ancelotti insisted his gamers shortly flip their give attention to Liverpool. Even although his crew has a three-goal cushion, the coach mentioned the rematch of final season’s European last may very well be a sport “full of traps.”
MERCILESS MADRID
Espanyol, which was left in thirteenth place, took the lead when Joselu scored with a effective contact of his left boot. Joselu grew to become the league’s second-leading scorer, together with Getafe’s Enes Unal, with 12. Only Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski has extra at 15.
But when Madrid’s Vinícius received going, Madrid by no means gave Espanyol a lot of an opportunity to drag off the upset.
The Brazil ahead regarded hemmed in by Espanyol when he acquired the ball on the left aspect of the world. But a fast change of course towards the middle opened up simply sufficient of a window for him to string a shot between 4 defenders earlier than it went in off the put up.
“We were calm enough to come back from a goal down,” Vinícius mentioned after his team-best nineteenth purpose throughout all competitions.
When Madrid had Espanyol scrambling once more, Militão jumped over his marker on the close to put up to move in a brief cross by Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Diego Martínez despatched on further attackers for Espanyol within the second half, however Madrid went closest to a different purpose when Rodrygo struck a free kick off the crossbar within the seventy fifth.
Asensio rounded off the win after defender Nacho Fernández dribbled ahead and set him up.
“We were in the match until the final minutes,” Joselu mentioned. “We gave it all we had, but Real Madrid shows no mercy.”
DOWN TO EIGHT
Last-placed Elche grabbed some extent in stoppage time when Tete Morrente scored to attract 1-1 in opposition to a Valladolid that completed with eight gamers.
Cyle Larin struck within the fourth minute for his fourth purpose in seven appearances for Valladolid for the reason that Canada ahead arrived in January.
But Valladolid misplaced its maintain on the sport when Darwin Machís was injured and needed to depart after coach José “Pacheta” Rojo made all his substitutions.
After Morrente scored, two Valladolid gamers — Roque Mesa and Martin Hongla – had been despatched off for second bookings.
OTHER RESULTS
Iago Aspas scored his tenth and eleventh league objectives to steer Celta Vigo to 3-0 over Rayo Vallecano. His second purpose was fantastically executed by a contact of the skin of his left foot to drift the ball over the goalkeeper from a decent angle.
Justin Kluivert’s purpose within the 74th minute gave Valencia a 1-0 win over Osasuna and helped to carry it out of the relegation zone. Osasuna Sergio Herrera goalie saved a penalty by Hugo Duro in damage time.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
