Real Madrid 2-3 Villarreal: Samuel Chukwueze’s glorious winner caps the visitors’ dogged display
Real Madrid 2-3 Villarreal: Samuel Chukwueze’s glorious winner surpasses the visitors’ stubborn performance at the Bernabeu to launch them into fifth place…with Los Blancos facing a 15-point lead over LaLiga leaders Barcelona
- An own goal from Pau Torres put the hosts ahead for over 15 minutes
- But two goals from Chukwueze and Morales’ equalizer gave the visitors the lead
- Camavinga’s late penalty kick was disallowed by VAR minutes after the last goal
Real Madrid could be 15 points off the top of La Liga by the time they meet Chelsea mid-week after a 3-2 defeat to Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team took the lead twice, but when Karim Benzema left on the hour mark to rest for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final, Villrreal was stronger to the finish and earned his three points.
Madrid are now 12 points behind leaders Barcelona and that gap will widen when they beat Girona on Monday.
Real Madrid’s Brazilian winger Vinicius scored a brilliant individual goal in the five-goal thriller, but he was outscored by Villarreal’s Nigerian winger Samu Chukwueze, who scored an even better winner.
Vinicius’ goal was Madrid’s second goal just after the restart and it was as good as any he’s scored this season. He was surrounded by four Villarreal players when he received the pass from Dani Ceballos at the edge of the area, but he raced through them making the back-kicking Aisa Mandi nutmeg before finishing past Pepe Reina.
Samuel Chukwueze (R) curled a glorious shot past Thibaut Courtois to put Villarreal ahead
The player also opened proceedings for his side after Real Madrid drew first blood
A win on the road moves Villarreal up to fifth and in contention for the Europa League spot
Madrid took the lead after 15 minutes when Villarreal center back Pau Torres passed his own keeper. Vinicius and Marco Asensio created the opening by cutting the visitors to the left and when the Spaniard’s cross was converted into the empty net an unfortunate touch from Torres thigh.
Madrid pushed to double their lead and Pepe Reina made a good save, first from Benzema and then from Rodrygo Goes.
However, Villarreal was starting to show its teeth. Chukwueze, Alex Baena and Giovani Lo Celso all got close with shots and when the equalizer came they were all involved.
Lo Celso exchanged passes with Baena and when Argentina’s Chukwueze pushed through there were a few shoulder drops to send first Nacho and then Courtois the wrong way before making it 1-1.
Los Blancos in the Bernebeu” class=”blkBorder img-share” style=”max-width:100%” />
An unfortunate own goal by Pau Torres on Saturday caused the downfall of Los Blancos in the Bernebeu
Vinicius Jr put his side ahead again after the visitors equalized at the end of the first half
There were seven shots on target in the first half and five of those were for Villarreal, so it was no more than Quique Setien’s side deserved.
It was just three minutes into the restart that Vinicius put Real Madrid ahead, but Villarreal hadn’t been knocked out and when Courtois rushed out of goal to block Alfonso Pedraza’s shot, the goal was empty, but Yeremy Pino shot wide.
Ten minutes later, Carlo Ancelotti had taken Benzema off the field on the hour mark. Villarreal was back on track.
Jose Luis Morales had come on and he would equalize with 20 minutes left in Chukwueze’s cross after Manu Trigueros held onto the ball. The goal was wrongly disallowed for offside against the Nigerian winger, but VAR corrected the mistake.
Chukwueze wasn’t ready yet and when he sliced ββin from the right to curl a glorious left-footed shot past Courtois, it was as good a goal as Vinicius and threatened to become more decisive.
Madrid felt another dramatic comeback and they were mocked when Mandi was believed to have acted on the ground in the penalty area.
There was a four minute delay while referee Javier Alberola checked Rojas and decided the ball came back off the defender’s chest.
Madrid’s best chance for an equalizer came seven minutes into stoppage time when Vinicus bumped into substitute Alberto Moreno, but from the edge of the box Asensio fired his free kick over the crossbar.
Calls for a penalty for Real fell on deaf ears after the referee reversed his initial decision
Former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina celebrated exuberantly during the match
Should Barcelona win against Girona, the winners of the Champions League will be 15 points behind the leaders
With a quarter-final of the Champions League on the horizon, Carlo Ancelotti’s team has work to do
