The Blancos refused to give up on their Copa del Rey hopes despite a disappointing first half.
Real Madrid defeated Villarreal 3-2 in their Copa del Rey game on Thursday. A wonderful second-half performance saw Carlo Ancelotti’s men claim a crucial victory at El Madrigal.
Never write off Real Madrid!
Villarreal stunned their opponents with an early goal through Etienne Capoue. Only four minutes into the game, the Frenchman made it 1-0 for the hosts with an unstoppable shot from the right-hand channel of the box.
Real Madrid made a few unsuccessful attempts to come back into the game. But they rarely managed to break Villarreal’s dominance throughout the first period.
Villarreal deserved a second goal, and they grabbed it through Samuel Chukwueze’s goal just before the break.
Real Madrid, however, were a completely different team when they started the second period.
Ancelotti’s decision to sub Rodrygo off for Marco Asensio angered the Brazil international. But the change turned out to be decisive for Real Madrid’s wonderful comeback.
Vinicius Junior pulled one back in the 57th minute as he brought Real Madrid back into the game. Only 13 minutes later, Karim Benzema’s header forced Villarreal’s keeper to make a poor save, with Eder Militao then converting the rebound from close range.
Real Madrid kept the pressure on Villarreal’s backline as they dominated the possession. The hosts also found a few chances but weren’t lucky enough to convert them.
The Blancos finally completed their sensational comeback in the 86th minute. Following a precise cutback from Asensio, Dani Ceballos made it 3-2 for Real Madrid with a sublime low shot from the edge of the box.
Having bounced back from losing El Clasico last weekend, Real Madrid must now prepare to face Athletic Bilbao in their next La Liga game on Sunday.
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