Late Penalties Secure Crucial Win as Los Blancos Close the Gap on Barcelona
Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 2-0 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday, thanks to second-half penalties from Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe. The victory at the Reale Arena brought the reigning Spanish champions within a point of La Liga leaders Barcelona, who face Girona on Sunday.
Despite Real Sociedad hitting the woodwork three times, Madrid capitalized on their chances through spot-kicks to claim three vital points. The match was a closely contested affair, with both teams creating numerous opportunities in an end-to-end battle.
Real Madrid, missing key midfielders Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni due to injuries, were also without Rodrygo Goes, who started on the bench in favor of Brahim Diaz.
“It was a tough game, probably we didn’t deserve to win because Real Sociedad played very well… but we bore it out, we suffered, we were committed in the tough moments of the game, and I value that a lot,” said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti after the match.
Mbappe’s Influence
Kylian Mbappe, who recently scored his first La Liga goals, was at the heart of Madrid’s attack once again. The French star forced a crucial save from Real Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro and created several dangerous chances, though his efforts in open play didn’t find the back of the net.
Real Sociedad nearly took the lead on multiple occasions, with Luka Sucic striking the bar in the first half. Sheraldo Becker also rattled the crossbar after a well-timed run in the second period.
Despite Sociedad’s attacking pressure, Madrid’s fortunes shifted when Vinicius converted a penalty in the 58th minute following a handball by Sergio Gomez. Mbappe then followed suit, calmly scoring from the spot after Jon Aramburu fouled Vinicius inside the box.
Real Sociedad’s Struggles
Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil praised his team’s performance but lamented their misfortune in front of goal. “We had a great first half, we had a lot of chances… but the penalty was a tough blow,” said Sociedad captain Igor Zubeldia. “It changed the whole game for us.”
Despite playing well, Sociedad has just one win in five matches this season.
Madrid’s victory keeps them unbeaten in La Liga since September 2023, a streak that now stretches to 37 matches. As they prepare for their Champions League clash against Stuttgart on Tuesday, Ancelotti will be pleased with his team’s resilience and ability to grind out results.
Other La Liga Results
In other La Liga action, Sevilla earned their first victory of the season with a narrow 1-0 win over Getafe, while Villarreal moved up to third place with a 2-1 win against Mallorca.
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