Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid played a dramatic semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup this Wednesday. The match required extra time after both clubs scored three goals in 90 minutes. Real Madrid scored both goals in added time to advance to the Spanish Super Cup final this weekend. Real Madrid will face the winner between Barcelona and Osasuna, runners-up of the 2022/23 Copa del Rey.
An eight-goal match goes very against the theme of the Madrid derby of recent seasons. The last time they both scored more than four goals in a match was in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup. In this match the goals came often and early. That was an extension of when the two played in LaLiga earlier in the campaign.
First half of four goals in Saudi Arabia
In the league match on matchday six, Atlético de Madrid defeated Real 3-1. That was Los Blancos’ only defeat of the season in all competitions. Atlético took the lead in that game after four minutes. In the Super Cup semi-final, Atlético scored early again. Shortly after six minutes, Mario Hermoso was the Atlético player waiting at the far post for a corner. He had an indisputable header that he returned to the goal. Right in front of the Real Madrid fans, Atlético took an early lead in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Although it only lasted 13 minutes. Real Madrid scored two goals in 10 minutes to take the lead. The first was from a Real Madrid corner. A perfect cross from Luka Modric to the penalty spot finished off a header from Antonio Rüdiger. The German put the ball into the net to equalize. Left back Ferland Mendy gave Real Madrid the lead with just his fifth goal for Real Madrid. A clever touch with the outside of his left foot ensured the ball sailed past all the Atlético defenders and into Jan Oblak’s net.
Atlético’s tie arrived. Antoine Griezmann collected the ball 30 meters from the goal. With four Real Madrid defenders converging on him, Griezmann brilliantly dodged each of them. That opened space on the edge of the area for the Frenchman to take a right hand. The ball went into the bottom corner of the net to restore parity. The goal also made Griezmann Atlético Madrid’s all-time leading scorer.
Real Madrid defeats Atlético and advances in the Super Cup
The second half was not as frenetic as the first 45 minutes. However, a calamitous moment in the 78th minute restored Atlético’s lead. A led to a spill on an otherwise simple save. Kepa collided with Álvaro Morata. The ball fell and bounced off Rüdiger. The ball went in and Atlético took the lead.
Real Madrid then urgently sought an equalizer. Heavy pressure from the defending Copa del Rey champions sparked an avalanche of attempts. Real Madrid had three shot attempts blocked by Atlético’s desperate defenders. Dani Carvajal crashed with a powerful shot that beat two red and white defenders on the goal line. The game was tied and would go into overtime.
It seemed much more likely that Carlo Ancelotti’s team would score the winning goal in extra time. We would have to wait until the 116th minute for another strange goal. A cross into the Atlético area found Joselu’s head. The Spaniard could only do so, but that was more than enough. The header bounced off the leg of an Atlético defender and into the top corner of the goal. Jan Oblak was helpless as he fought for the ball. Real Madrid took a 4-3 lead that they would not give up.
When Atlético finally advanced needing a goal, Diego Simeone sent Oblak on the attack. Real Madrid had the opportunity on the counterattack. Brahim Díaz beat a retreating Oblak with a loose ball in Atlético’s half, and the forward scored from 35 meters away to score the last goal of the game.
Real Madrid will face Barcelona or Osasuna in the final of the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday.
PHOTOS: IMAGO
Charging…
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