Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid snatched the lead at the end of the year from Girona in the last breath, thanks to Lucas Vazquez, who scored the winning goal for them over Alaves 1-0 in stoppage time on Thursday in the eighteenth round of the Spanish Football League.
Published on: 12/21/2023 – 23:33 Last updated: 12/21/2023 – 23:31
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Affected by the numerical deficiency in the last half hour, Real seemed on its way to settling for a goalless draw, which would have kept Girona in the lead by two points over the Royal Club after it had previously been forced to draw with its host Real Betis 1-1 in a match in which it was ahead until the last two minutes.
But Vasquez’s killer goal put Real in the lead on goal difference over the Catalan club, which was on its way to ensuring that 2023 would end at the top regardless of Real’s result thanks to the brilliant Ukrainian Artem Dovpik, who put it in front during the first half, before Betis succeeded in snatching a fatal draw. Two minutes before the end, raising its score to 28 points in seventh place, three points behind Real Sociedad VI, which in turn tied with its host Cadiz 0-0.
Betis reiterated that it is a very stubborn team on its home field, as it has not been defeated this season in its nine matches among its fans.
If Girona had achieved its eighth win in a row away from home, it would have achieved an achievement that had only been achieved in the history of the league by the giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, but it squandered this opportunity and the opportunity to achieve its first victory over Betis in the last 11 confrontations between them, specifically since defeating them 1-0 at the club’s stadium. Andalusian on March 17, 2010, when they were together in the second division.
“We thought we had settled things.”
Girona midfielder Alex Garcia commented on the equalizer by saying, “This goal hurt us. We thought we had settled matters. We are going to vacation with a feeling of satisfaction… Now, we will recharge our batteries for what lies ahead.”
Despite the disappointment of giving up the lead, coach Mitchell’s team deserves to celebrate Christmas and New Year in the best way, even if it is runner-up on goal difference, with the hope that it will start the new year strong, but a difficult confrontation awaits it in its first home match against fourth-placed Atletico Madrid on January 3. /January.
The two teams did not offer much at the beginning of the match, and Betis was close to reaching the net through Ayosi Pires, who received the ball in the area wonderfully, then got rid of the defender with a beautiful technical move before firing it powerfully over the crossbar (20), then the Brazilian Savio responded to him with an attempt from close range. Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Silva did not find it difficult to deal with it (23).
After three successive chances for Betis through Senegalese Alassane Diaw, whose effort went over the crossbar (25), and Brazilian Willian and Ayosi Pires, who collided with the brilliance of Argentine goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga (26), Girona, in turn, was forced to make an emergency substitution due to the injury of David Lopes, who left his place to Juanpe (34). ).
Persistence paid off
As he penetrated into the area, Savio snatched a penalty kick for Girona from Aitor Roybal, and the brilliant Dovpik scored it (39), raising his personal tally to 11 goals in the league this season.
The score remained the same until the end of the first half, then Betis was close to equalizing through Portuguese substitute William Carvalho with a shot from outside the area, but goalkeeper Gazzaniga was waiting for him (50), and Savio responded to him with a powerful shot that went just above the crossbar (54).
Girona knew how to deal with the match and absorb the rush of Pellegrini’s men in their quest to save at least a point, until the 88th minute when Betis snatched the tie with a powerful shot from Argentine Germán Bezzella following a corner kick that caused a commotion inside the area and Girona’s defense failed to clear it properly.
Captain Bezzella commented on the match in an interview with Al-Douri TV, “We tried throughout the match. They are a very good team and the draw was not a coincidence. I think that persistence paid off.”
Real without solutions until the fatal time
At Estadio Mendesorosa, Real seemed without solutions against a team fighting to stay away from the relegation zone. Then things became very complicated after Nacho was expelled, but relief came at the fatal time.
Despite its control and its possession rate of nearly 65 percent, Real, which suffered a blow three days ago when Austrian David Alaba suffered a cruciate ligament tear, joining Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, Brazilians Eder Militao and Vinicius Junior, and Frenchman Eduardo Camavinga, seemed helpless, except for a dangerous attempt by Uruguayan Federico Valverde in the match. The second minute was handled brilliantly by goalkeeper Antonio Severa.
Then Real started the second half with a harsh blow after Nacho was sent off as a result of a foul on Samu Omorodion following a VAR appeal, which prompted the referee to replace the yellow card with a red one (54).
This prompted Ancelotti to sacrifice Croatian Luka Modric in favor of Frenchman Aurelien Chouamini, who played in the centre-back position.
This expulsion affected Real Madrid, but they remained the better team, and the Brazilian Rodrigo was close to giving them the lead with an arcing shot, but his attempt went past the left post (75) in the last actual attempt on goal until the second minute of stoppage time, when the German Toni Kroos executed a corner kick that reached… Vasquez, who headed it into the net.
Real Mallorca moved away from the relegation zone by five points, after achieving its third victory of the season at the expense of its guest Osasuna 3-2.
© 2023 AFP
2023-12-21 22:33:04
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