Real Madrid went berserk in further time to edge Atletico Madrid 5-3, securing their spot within the Spanish Super Cup closing on Wednesday.
Mario Hermoso and Antonio Rudiger exchanged early-headed targets earlier than Ferland Mendy despatched Madrid forward on the Al-Awwal Park stadium in Riyadh.
Antoine Griezmann leveled with a milestone objective for Atletico, turning into their all-time main scorer, and Kepa Arrizabalaga’s personal objective despatched the Rojiblancos forward. Still, Dani Carvajal smashed Madrid degree, forcing further time.
With the sport heading towards penalties, Stefan Savic’s personal objective below stress from Joselu nudged Madrid forward, and substitute Brahim Diaz wrapped up the win on the counterattack, with Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak stranded out of place.
In Sunday’s closing, Madrid will face both Barcelona or Osasuna, who meet Thursday within the different semi-final.
“Atletico played very well, and so did we; it was a spectacular game,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti instructed Movistar. “We won because we had more energy in the final stages … (the substitutes) all delivered.”
Diego Simeone’s Atletico is the one staff to beat Madrid this season in September, they usually began strongly with Samuel Lino testing Arrizabalaga shortly earlier than they took the lead.
Hermoso headed within the opener after six minutes from Griezmann’s nook, as Rodrygo did not problem him within the air. Rudiger equally leveled for Madrid, escaping Savic and nodding Luka Modric’s nook house.
Madrid, unbeaten in 20 matches, have been within the ascendancy, and full-back Mendy capitalized with a deft flicked end from Carvajal’s low cross.
Milestone man
Griezmann headed into Arrizabalaga’s arms earlier than pulling Atletico degree in a gripping first half, turning away from Modric earlier than driving house from the sting of the field.
The objective took him forward of the late Luis Aragones as Atletico’s all-time high scorer with 174 targets. Rodrygo virtually put Madrid forward once more earlier than the break after main Atletico’s protection on a merry dance, however Oblak parried his effort and grabbed the unfastened ball earlier than it may spin over the road.
Saudi spectators, regardless of primarily supporting Real Madrid, jeered Los Blancos midfielder Toni Kroos as he got here on as a second-half substitute after he criticized gamers shifting to the nation from European soccer final summer time searching for riches.
Oblak made a high quality save to thwart Carvajal earlier than Atletico took the lead with 12 minutes remaining. Arrizabalaga collided with Alvaro Morata as he tried to catch a cross, and the ball bounced into Madrid’s objective of the on-loan Chelsea stopper. Madrid protested, pleading for a attainable foul by Morata, however the officers noticed no infringement.
However, Carvajal struck with 5 minutes to go, rattling a rebound into the highest nook after Jude Bellingham’s effort was cleared off the road.
The sport tightened in further time, not as end-to-end, and neither staff may carve out clear probabilities with the abandon they managed throughout the opening 90 minutes.
Eventually, Madrid nosed forward 4 minutes from the top, with substitute Joselu heading Carvajal’s cross at Savic, who deflected the ball past the scrambling Oblak and into his personal web.
With Atletico determined for a leveler, Oblak was caught out of place, and Diaz raced ahead to beat him to the ball and steered it into the empty web from a distance to seal the win.
Spanish champions and reigning Super Cup winners Barcelona will intention to arrange a repeat of final season’s Clasico closing by beating Osasuna on Thursday.
Atletico faces Real Madrid thrice in below a month, with their subsequent conflict shortly arriving within the Copa del Rey subsequent Thursday.
“We have a chance for revenge, and we need our fans behind us in our stadium,” Atletico’s Koke instructed Movistar. However, Simeone disagreed with the midfielder.
“It’s not revenge; in football, there is no revenge,” mentioned Simeone. “It’s a new knockout game that will be different from today.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com