REAL MADRID GRIND OUT 2-1 WIN OVER REAL SOCIEDAD
Real Madrid stayed unbeaten in La Liga with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad. Xabi Alonso’s side struck twice and survived a first-half red card to claim all three points.
– ADEVERTISEMENT –
EARLY PRESSURE AND CLASSIC MBAPPE FINISH
Los Blancos came flying out of the blocks. Arda Guler had a clever early goal ruled out for offside, but there was no stopping the opener 10 minutes later.
Kylian Mbappe darted in behind and drilled home a trademark finish to give Madrid the lead. He nearly doubled the advantage soon after, only to see his curling shot clip the post.
RED CARD DRAMA AND KEY SECOND GOAL
Real Sociedad threatened and gained hope when Dean Huijsen dragged down Mikel Oyarzabal, earning a straight red card on the half-hour mark.
Despite being a man down, Real Madrid grabbed a crucial second just before half-time. Mbappe beat his marker and cut back for Guler, who poked the ball in from close range.
– ADEVERTISEMENT –
SOCIEDAD FIGHTBACK AND COURTOIS SAVES
Madrid’s night grew tense when Dani Carvajal handled the ball in the box, allowing Oyarzabal to score from the spot. Sociedad pushed for an equaliser, but Thibaut Courtois produced several vital saves to secure the win.
PLAYER RATINGS
Goalkeeper & Defence
- Thibaut Courtois (7/10): Beaten by the penalty but made key stops to preserve the lead.
- Dani Carvajal (4/10): Strong first 50 minutes undone by a costly handball.
- Eder Militao (8/10): Excellent at the back, dominant in the air and tidy on the ball.
- Dean Huijsen (2/10): Straight red after a shaky half-hour.
- Alvaro Carreras (6/10): Reliable at left back, handled Kubo well.
Midfield
- Aurelien Tchouameni (7/10): Strong in midfield and adapted well when moved to centre-back.
- Dani Ceballos (6/10): Struggled to influence play.
- Arda Guler (8/10): Energetic and effective, scored Madrid’s second.
Attack
- Brahim Diaz (4/10): Limited touches and impact, replaced at half-time.
- Kylian Mbappe (8/10): Goal and assist, constant threat until Madrid sat deep.
- Vinicius Jr (5/10): Worked hard but lacked precision in the final third.
Substitutes & Manager
- Federico Valverde (6/10): Added energy after the break.
- Raul Asencio (5/10): Erratic at times.
- Fran Garcia (6/10): Helped close out the left side.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold (N/A), David Alaba (N/A): No significant time.
- Xabi Alonso (7/10): Organised and effective despite going a man down.
– ADEVERTISEMENT –
Real Madrid’s resilience shone through. Two quality goals and a composed defensive effort kept them top of La Liga after another tense evening at the Bernabéu.