Real Madrid ran a stream of attacks against Espanyol in the first half at the Santiago Bernabeu. Kylian Mbappe-Rodrigo-Bellingham failed to find the net with 14 shots in the first half. Madrid fans were probably still restless. The second half is still left. And this season, Madrid seems to be choosing only the second half for goals.
Madrid have scored 18 goals in eight matches so far in all competitions this season. They scored 17 goals in the second half of the match. Only in their first match in La Liga against Mallorca did Los Blancos score in the first half.
Last Saturday night was no exception. After a goalless first half, Madrid fell behind with an own goal by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in the 54th minute of the match. However, like ‘habit’, the current La Liga champions scored four goals one after the other. In the end, Ancelotti’s team won 4-1. Dani Carvajal, Rodrigo, Vinicius and Mbappe scored four goals for the reigning La Liga champions.
Yesterday’s win against Espanyol made Madrid a great record. With this, Carlo Ancelotti’s disciples are undefeated in the last 38 matches in La Liga (28 wins and 10 draws). That is joint second highest in Spanish league history. Before that, between 1979 and 1980, Real Sociedad went 38 matches unbeaten in the league (22 wins and 16 draws).
On top of this list is Madrid’s arch-rival Barcelona. From 2017 to 2018, the Catalan club was unbeaten in 43 consecutive matches (34 wins and 9 draws).
After a scoreless first half yesterday, Madrid scored a suicide goal in the 54th minute of the match. Courtois scored a suicide goal in La Liga as Madrid’s first goalkeeper in the current century. Even so, Madrid did not have to get the momentum to win. After 4 minutes, Carvajal equalized the match (1-1).
Rodrigo made the scoreline 2-1 from Vinicius’ cross in the 75th minute of the match. Three minutes later Vinicius increased the gap from Mbappe’s pass. In the last minute of the added time of the match, Madrid got a penalty after fouling Ndrik inside the box. Mbappe scored Madrid’s fourth goal from a spot kick.
Madrid is second in the La Liga points table with 14 points from 6 matches. Barca are at the top with 15 points after one game less. However, Madrid lost points in two of the first three matches of the league this season. Ancelotti’s team won the next three matches from there. Madrid coach expressed his satisfaction after the match.
After the match yesterday, Ancelotti said, ‘It was a great match. We were able to react quickly after Espanyol’s goal. We were in rhythm. I also created more opportunities. We had momentum in our game. Attacked quickly with the ball. Speed is our main weapon. The third goal caught the attention separately. The counter attack was phenomenal. Slowly we are returning to the best version of ourselves.
